HIRA July Quarterly Public Meeting
- Tue 20th Aug 2002
Medical Presenters 5; Islanders 1.
On 18th July HIRA held a first class set of talks about the provision of medical
services on the Island. Though promoted over the last 3 months, only a
handful of Islanders turned up. This was a shame, as everyone would have gained in
their understanding of how medical services are made available to them...
Paul Fisher introduced the participants, by saying:
“This evening we have presentations from a number of the services available to Islanders in the general areas of health and care, whether at home, the Health Centre or in one of the hospitals in the area.
The National Health Service will always be under pressure to cater for the needs of the nation’s ill or disabled citizens, never more than now when, as so often in the past, it is going through a period of reform and re-financing.
We are not planning to stimulate a debate on the big issues this evening, but hope that there can be some clarification of what the practitioners and professionals of the particular services being represented tonight can offer to Hayling Islanders.”
Tony Horne.
Tony Horne is the Chief Executive of the East Hants Primary Care Trust that was set
up in April 2001, is based in Waterlooville and is responsible for managing the
service to the residents of Havant Borough and Petersfield. Its budget is £150M, of
which £40M purchases local GP services and the rest purchases treatment from other
sources.
The trust runs 4 Health Centres with 30 GPs (Hayling being one), and the other 77 or
so GPs operate from their own premises. The trust is responsible for 192,000 people.
The Trust is also responsible for local Nurses, school Dentistry, Podiatry,
Physiotherapy, Pharmacy provision etc. It runs Petersfield, Havant and Emsworth
Hospitals and the GP unit in Gorseway.
The Trust is run by a Board that meets in public at different locations in the area.
Anyone can attend. Graham Lavender is a local Board member.
Dr. Andrew Stratford
Dr. Stratford then gave an overview of the way the local GPs, nurses etc. operate. He
outlined the three practices on Hayling, two with 2 GPs and one with 4. These are
independent, but liase on items such as training, (Friday lunchtimes most weeks). He
stated that it is perfectly acceptable to call for appropriate services directly from the
Nursing elements of the Health Centre. He was keen people should use NHS Direct
when appropriate (0845 4647) This is particularly good for information on the side
effects of drugs.
Each practice has a leaflet outlining its services. Practices have established Common
Treatment Protocols. Additionally, each doctor has identified areas in which he has
chosen to become more expert, e.g. diabetes or heart conditions.
The role of the GP has changed over the years to an approach much more orientated
to preventing conditions arising in the first place, partly by education of the patients.
The concept of an 'expert patient' had been developed in which people with particular
conditions could advise other people on how to deal with that condition.
To further develop this theme, patients were now encouraged to understand their treatments and, for instance, learn to take their own blood pressures or sugar levels
etc. Health centre staff would train and advise them. The centre now had an 'elderly
health care co-ordinator". The health centre was establishing 'Focus Frameworks' and
one that was being developed was for ‘Men's Health'. Overall, there were many
initiatives being set up and people should consult the receptionists for the best
approach to their problem.
He described HDOCS, the out of hours provision supplied by a consortium of local
GPs. For the hour after evening surgery, your own practice provides cover. After 7
pm., this is provided by H-Docs, (number on GPs answer-phone). H-Docs provides a
surgery open until midnight in Drayton and cover the remaining hours of the day.
Gill Lambert
Gill Lambert, a District Nurse, then reviewed those services. There are six staff in the
Unit, one of whom is male. Patients can refer themselves directly to the nurses via the
Community Health Desk, who will liaise with the practices if needed.
This desk provides access to blood tests, podiatry, hearing support etc. Nurses
particularly support those who are unable to visit the Health Centre and also compile
lists of the 'vulnerable elderly'. Nurses teach patients how to deal with various
treatments, provide pre- and post-operative support and offer advice and support after
the death of a patient. A ‘twilight service’ is provided up to 1lpm.
Monica Salmon
Monica Salmon of Helping Hands described how it is contracted by the local Social
Services to support people in their homes. Currently they have some 150 staff
supporting some 100 patients.
They provide shopping, feeding, cleaning and washing services to housebound people,
needs being assessed by a Client Adviser in liaison with the appropriate practice.
Malcolm Phillips
Malcolm Phillips of 1st Responders explained how they operated. When an ambulance
is called to an emergency, the Responders are automatically called out except for
cases of violence or traffic accidents.
There are some 20 people on call with a normal response time of less than 5 minutes,
usually preceding an ambulance by 15 minutes or more. They cover all emergency
situations. They have been called out 1 500 times in 18 months.
The organisation is voluntary and is always looking for funding and further members.
Finally, the GP unit at Gorseway was mentioned. Six beds are contracted to the
Health Service for respite care and convalescence. It is regarded as being extremely
useful and. Provides an efficient local service without leaving the Island. It highlights the benefits of local services rather than excessive centralisation.
The HIRA committee would like to thank all participants most warmly for their
contributions and hope that reading this report will at least provide some useful
information to those who were unable to attend.
OTHER ISSSUES
The Bridge.
People may have noticed that the bridge railings are going up. The extent to which
they restrict viewing will shortly be revealed when the temporary barriers are
removed.
The Beach Railway.
Recently I talked to Bob Haddock and he was pleased with the way the railway was
proceeding. He asked that people should indicate to him where they would like
crossings to be located to allow easy crossing of the rails. Obvious
places include the points at which each road joins the seafront. The West, or rather the East, is being won.
The Oyster Beds.
The first meeting of the forum overseeing the management of the West Hayling Local
Nature Reserve took place recently. This was organised by Steve Mountain of HBC.
As people will have noticed in the press this spring, Little Terns (a protected species)
have set up residence in one of the islands in this area. Steps are being taken to
improve the habitat. Apart from a lot of detail, two matters have arisen of interest to
residents, one positive, one less so.
The good thing is that the gaps in the southernmost bund are to be filled in, thus giving
renewed access further west and a proper viewing facility is to be constructed there.
The negative feature is that it is proposed to close that part of the car park at the North
Hayling Halt that gives immediately onto the beach, so that parked vehicles will no longer
be able to see the harbour. The car park behind the ESSO garage will be extended to
compensate. It was pointed out that many disabled people park here to take in the
scenery, which would then no longer be possible. This matter is being considered
further.
Next Open Meeting.
This is the AGM in October and the topic will be the Hayling Twinning activities.
Tony Higham.
By forum user, PaulFisher
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