Co-ordinator: Marna Blundy, 4 Botallack Moor, St Just, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7QH

Tel: 01736 788107 email: westcornwallhealthwatch@yahoo.co.uk

PRESS STATEMENT

WHY CAN’T PATIENTS BE TREATED CLOSER TO HOME?

LOCAL SURVEY PLAN MUZZLED BY GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

Two years ago West Cornwall HealthWatch received a suggestion from two retired teachers. They proposed a patient survey, the purpose of which was to find out if patients were being required to make unnecessary journeys to Treliske for outpatient appointments, treatment or minor surgery, when they could be seen closer to home.

The idea of this survey had grown out of public concern at the way in which NHS treatment was increasingly centred on the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust site at Treliske in Truro, rather than at Bodmin, Fowey, Helston, Penzance, Newquay and other general hospitals.

The two instigators of the scheme approached teachers at their local further education colleges. Staff working in Health and Social Care in two colleges were enthusiastic about such a survey – a useful exercise for students being a “real-life” rather than an academic exercise, and one which would contribute greatly to the students’ understanding of these issues, as well as contributing to the wider public debate about access to hospitals.

The scheme quickly gained the blessing of Penwith District Council, who approached the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust for permission to conduct such a survey. Their response was that it was within the remit of the new Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, based at County Hall in Truro. Approaches were accordingly made to this committee, but the response was not positive; it was also stated that such a survey was not within the remit of the committee, but should come from the RCHT. There followed many months of procrastination, buck-passing and continued failure to gain any permission to proceed. Meanwhile two cohorts of students in both colleges have lost the opportunity to conduct valuable social research; and the community is none the wiser as to the extent of inappropriate bookings and unnecessary travelling for hospital appointments.

One man who feels strongly about this is Mr Chris Nicholas, a pensioner from Ashton near Helston. Mr Nicholas said: “They asked me to come up to Treliske for a consultation with a specialist, but knowing what a hassle it is to get there by public transport or by car with no parking space when you get there, I said I couldn’t manage it. I asked why I couldn’t see the specialist locally instead of travelling for hours just for a five-minute meeting.” To his surprise, Mr Nicholas was told that he could have his appointment locally. He says that it’s a pity more people are not aware of how easily the hospital appointments system can be made more flexible to patients’ needs and he advises “Just tell them you can’t get there, like I did.”

However, without a properly conducted independent and unbiased survey into patient experiences, no-one really knows the extent of the problem. Meanwhile, staff and students at two tertiary colleges, along with Penwith District Council and West Cornwall HealthWatch, and particularly the two teachers who instigated the whole idea, are baffled as to why an innocent attempt to find out the facts seems to have been blocked at every turn. They still hope that it will be possible for the survey to take place….