Co-ordinator: Marna Blundy, 4 Botallack Moor, St Just, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7QH
Tel: 01736 788107
email: westcornwallhealthwatch@yahoo.co.uk

PRESS STATEMENT 17.05.05
SUPPORT GROWS FOR ANAESTHETICS AT WEST CORNWALL

 Following last week’s front page article about the threat to anaesthetic provision at West Cornwall Hospital, voices have been raised in support of the hospital and the retention of its services. A number of people have contacted West Cornwall HealthWatch to express their views, and the President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists has offered his own words of advice on the matter.

A Projects Officer for Regeneration emailed from London:

“I think it would be ridiculous logistically, dangerous and uneconomic for patients to be forced to go to Truro for A&E cases, or indeed any other cases for which patients are currently able to go to West Cornwall Hospital. Ridiculous logistically because of the excessive traveling that would be involved by all concerned, dangerous because of the prospect of a long journey from the scene of an accident in West Cornwall to Truro (and what happens if the Air Ambulance is unavailable for whatever reason?) and uneconomic because, although the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust may save itself the cost of operating West Cornwall Hospital, globally the whole West Cornwall community would lose out because everyone who had to go to Truro would have to pay more in traveling costs. The West Cornwall community pays for West Cornwall Hospital; should they not get value for money? If West Cornwall Hospital cuts back its services, are the taxes paid by local people going to be reduced to compensate them for their extra expense and inconvenience? I note the quote from Sue Wolstenholme that “the ability to sustain the skills mix necessary was always going to prove extremely difficult”. I take this as management-speak for “we can’t attract the staff”. If this is the case, can’t the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust simply pay a market rate of pay – or use agency staff? Hope this little rant helps, and the best of luck.”

An employee emailed:

“I am happy to offer what help I can, bearing in mind the perhaps sensitive position I could be seen to be in…. I am only too aware of the pressures all the staff that work at WCH are placed under – the outpatients department is under-equipped, the rooms are inadequate at times, and there is poor access/car parking. This, however, all fades into nothing when one has to be dragged up to Treliske – especially in the case of a terminally ill patient. The last thing on earth they want is a 30-45 minute car journey, even more hassle trying to park, and then to enter the faceless place that is Treliske. I feel so helpless, I guess along with so many others, and just want to do something constructive to help. Let me know…..”

A former patient wrote:

“If my wife or I can be of assistance, please do contact us. We feel that we are fighting a losing battle, but we must continue fighting. Perhaps people have lost touch with the situation.”

A Scillonian resident emailed:

“I am writing to include the support of my whole family for the West Cornwall Hospital campaign…..Surely Treliske Hospital is stretched to its limits as it is…it would be crazy to send all patients to Truro. We all feel that it is vitally important that ALL departments in West Cornwall Hospital remain open.”

Another staff nurse emailed:

“I am becoming increasingly despondent with the downgrading that is occurring. The High Dependency Unit now known as a High Dependency Bay in a Medical Admissions area has seen many changes in the type of patient admitted. In recent months the criteria for admitting emergency medical patients has changed to such an extent that we are dealing with patients that require only minimum basic intervention, care that could be just as easily given in the community. An example of wasted resources and an endangerment to peoples lives is as follows:- We have four high tech cardiac monitors in our unit, purchased just twelve months ago at a great cost and have the clinical skills and knowledge to administer quick and effective thrombolytic therapy to individuals experiencing acute myocardial infarction (heart attacks) so lessening the damage that occurs to the heart. We are then able to closely monitor these patients ensuring a safe recovery. If further intervention is then needed a transfer to Treliske can be swiftly put into place. Patients with chest pain often fall into the above category, but there is a major decline in the number of patients admitted to WCH that require thrombolytic therapy. My fear is that the time taken to travel to Treliske from the Penwith area is prolonging the administration of thrombolytic therapy hence damaging one’s heart to a far greater extent.

I have practised in WCH for eight years and have learnt a great deal and feel my clinical skills are advanced. I am however no longer using these skills as before and without utilisation will no doubt decline. There are several nurses that feel as I do and a large number have left WCH to continue practising at the highly skilled level, which they have trained so intensely to acquire.

In an age where we are hopefully thriving to treat people individually I am amazed at the push towards centralizing health care. Individual factors cannot be considered in an environment where so many patients are being clumped together with often a minimum of staff. From what I understand the problem lies solely with a lack of anaesthetists at RCHT. This is a problem which will have to be addressed whether the patients from Penwith and surrounding areas are at WCH or Treliske. There will still be the same number of patients and the same number of anaesthetists required. As printed in the Cornishman on 12/05/05 there has not been any improvement to services at WCH and the feeling amongst staff is that there will not be.”

The President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, Peter Simpson, has responded to the report that the Trust had been unable to find replacement anaesthetists, by suggesting that perhaps there should be an independent inquiry, led by people outside the Trust, who could come and assess the real situation. He also recommended the solution of rotating staff around the three hospitals within the Trust Treliske, St Michaels and West Cornwall) so that the smaller sites could be satisfactorily staffed. He concluded by referring to the great distance between West Cornwall Hospital and Treliske, Truro, which could be a problem in rotating staff. However, if staff traveling would be difficult, just think how much more difficult it is for the sick patients and their relatives! What Peter Simpson did not know, when he made his suggestions, was that the Campaign Team (HealthWatch, the local Mayors, the League of Friends, Penwith District Council and the local MP), have been calling both for an independent inquiry and for staff rotation, as well as for keeping services local. It is good to know that there is support at the highest level for this.

What is clear from the responses received so far is that the voice of reason and common sense continues to call loud and clear in support of the campaigners who have been working for many years now to support the retention of local services. That call needs to become deafening, until the Regional NHS itself is forced to listen and to respond in the right way.