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

PRESS STATEMENT 21.06.04

Following an appeal in The Cornishman two weeks ago, West Cornwall HealthWatch has heard from more patients who were referred to Treliske for treatment rather than West Cornwall Hospital. In several cases, however, persistence in requesting local treatment paid off, and the patients concerned were finally treated in Penzance:
" One casualty at Helston was told by ambulance staff she would be taken to Treliske. She asked why she couldn't be taken to West Cornwall Hospital and after a quick phone call this was agreed - success!
" A Penzance patient, given an appointment for the treatment for skin cancer at Treliske in 12 weeks' time, queried both the length of time and the location for treatment, and was then offered a slot at West Cornwall nine weeks earlier!
" A further local patient was declined chiropody treatment at West Cornwall, and was even told there was no longer a clinic there. He refused treatment at Camborne Redruth Community Hospital because he could not travel there. Eventually he was offered an appointment at West Cornwall.

However, other patients, requiring follow-up check for cataract surgery and fractures in particular, have been required to travel to Treliske for routine and brief checks, which have proved in some cases costly, stressful and painful as well as time-consuming. One patient, who had no means of getting to Treliske from West Penwith, contacted RCHT PALS service and was offered a free hospital car to get her there and back, because there was no slot available for her check at West Cornwall.

Spokesperson Marna Blundy, from West Cornwall HealthWatch, said in response to these findings: "It is clearly the case that patients must make a point of asking for local treatment, and must if necessary ring up and challenge appointments made for them in more distant locations. Hospital administrators have to realize the difficulties in travelling for patients, often elderly, or with restricted mobility, or with no access to a car. The only way that more slots will be provided locally is if patients ask for them, and ask repeatedly and persistently. There is no need to be rude - it is just a question of claiming your right to a choice of location. While we were pleased to hear that one patient was able to take free hospital transport to Truro, this is really not the solution. We should be looking to reduce long travelling times, particularly for routine appointments. If everyone who is asked to go to Truro is offered free transport, whilst this may be helpful to them in the short-term, this will be disastrous in the longer term for the NHS economy. We have consistently said that the healthy, paid consultant should be the one to do the travelling, not a number of unwell or fragile patients. The message, then, is clear and simple - keep asking for local treatment, and don't give up!"