SPRING ORCHARD FOVANT
NEWSLETTER –50
November 2017
So it’s that time of the year again – the clocks go backwards, the leaves are falling and we have those wonderful colours, socks come out of the drawer, jumpers make their appearance and we start thinking of Christmas!!
Flu immunisations
I’ve had mine – have you had yours?? If not don’t delay – I am already starting to see an increase in winter bugs and our best information is that this year’s flu is widespread and nasty and 2017’s flu jab works! So if you have yet to be protected against the flu please simply pop into ANY of the nurse morning clinics between 0830-1000 and they will sort you out. No appointment needed.
NHS pressures
I woke up this morning to the news bearing the grim headlines about how hard the NHS is struggling and the even worse information that things seem to be deteriorating rather than improving. Having worked in the NHS for 40 years now I am only too well aware that these things go in cycles and the smooth running of our health service is really dependent upon how much money is available to support it. In reality there is never enough and never has been enough but we are going through a particularly bad patch at the moment and whereas some years ago – efficiency savings could be ploughed back into healthcare, there are no more savings to be made. Real new money will have to be found and serious amounts to get the service back to where it would like to be – or the government and the country will have to accept that standards will deteriorate and be realistic in expectations. Unless this extra funding is forthcoming it will be back to the days when patients waited 18-24 months for hip replacements, cataracts etc; 4-6 months to be seen as an out-patient; long delays for investigations and strict embargos on conditions that the NHS will cover. It is by no means at this stage yet but undoubtedly things are happening much more slowly. I see this on a daily basis. It is not General Practice’s fault nor the hospitals but is a direct reflection on the tightening of budgets. This shows itself as much as anything by the increasing difficulty in recruiting staff to posts within the NHS. If the personnel aren’t there – things can’t happen. Unfortunately this staff crisis is at all levels – hospitals can’t recruit consultants, new GPs are an endangered species, there are very few home grown nurses, a king’s ransom can’t buy physios or OTs and so it goes on.
So what can you do to help – firstly stay as fit as you can so you don’t need the services!! If you can afford to go privately – think about doing so as it will cut out the potential delays. Make sure you attend any appointments you are offered – each DNA (did not attend) costs the NHS about £200 and there are several in every single hospital clinic every day. Multiply that up through the country and the waste to the country is absolutely colossal. Don’t attend A&E unless it is for an accident or an emergency – use 111 or the walk-in centres where you will get first class treatment and advice. Don’t stockpile your medication – order monthly what you actually need and use. If you can get to the surgery rather than use the district nursing services - please do. Take advantage of all the screening tests on offer and free health checks.
Fovant sometimes feels like a little microcosm in the surrounding chaos but even we are starting to struggle. I have the dubious honour of looking after the oldest list in the whole county – nearly 40% of you are over 65 – made even more remarkable in that you all live in your own home. I truly believe that you make excellent appropriate use of the NHS on a day to day basis. However surgeries are getting busier – I see 15-20 more patients each day than I did 10 years ago. Nurse appointments are full, the dispensary is busier, our fabulous district nurses are simply rushed off their feet and hospital appointments are taking longer to come through. Please help us – think twice about asking the surgery to do something you can do yourself – like chasing a hospital appointment, or trying to get one brought forward; order your prescriptions on line if possible rather than phoning in; we try and keep evening surgeries open for those at work or patients who can’t get to us in the morning because of transport etc. All these little things will make such a difference to our workload and will allow us to continue to give you the service you rightly expect. I know I am retiring soon but I’ve not gone yet and still want to make improvements to help everyone!!
Andy Hall