Friday, 6th May 2005
Good afternoon Ms Barnes;
I would like to bring to your attention a problem which has arisen here in Bridlington; this problem has been going on for quite a long time and needs addressing at your soonest.
We all know, there is a shortage of Ambulances in Bridlington, these Ambulances are struggling daily to meet Government Response Time?
Please see Figures below: Response Times are not been met; this will not help? 2004/2005 Figures
EAST YORKSHIRE PCT - TOTAL: 60.6% MISSED TARGET
YORKSHIRE WOLD & COAST PCT - TOTAL: 69.0% MISSED TARGET
EAST HULL PCT - TOTAL: 77.0% JUST ACHIEVED TARGET
WEST HULL PCT - TOTAL: 82.9% OK |
The Reason & Problem:
We are informed, there are only 2 Ambulances on duty 7am to 7pm daily and 1 Ambulance on duty at night 7pm to 7am? Over the past months, daily and frequently Ambulances are returning back from Scarborough Hospital with Lights Flashing and Sirens Sounding as they are finding it difficult to meet demand, this has been viewed by many, these dedicated Ambulance Technicians (Para-medics) are negotiating some of the worst roads in our region, not to mention the heavy volume of traffic which frequents these roads constantly.
The removal of the Rapid Response Car/First Responder as not help the present scenario......
We feel it is high time that a revue is long over-due....how long will it be before there is a fatality in Bridlington because the Ambulance service cannot cope; we hear of many times when Ambulances are late attending emergency calls and accidents because our Ambulances are on the roads in transit with patients to either Scarborough Hospital 17 miles away or Hull Royal 30+ miles away?
Many times we have to wait until Ambulances are called from Filey or Driffield?
When ever you pass the Ambulance Station at Bridlington; there are no Ambulances to be seen?
The new system which is coming into place when a 999 call is categorized will not make any difference to our problem in Bridlington; Bridlington Hospital is not used to the best of its ability; we firmly believe more patients could be admitted to our hospital to free Ambulances.
I will be taking this situation up with the Rt. Hon Greg Knight MP now re-elected from 6/5/05; Councillors within Bridlington and the Media.
I look forward to your reply in anticipation
Kindest regards Mick Pilling
This is a reply from one of the many supporters of our campaign
| From: |
mrsmac |
| To: |
Mick Pilling |
| Posted: |
Mon May 09, 2005 11:19 am |
| Subject: |
Ambulances |
|
I quite agree with you on all points.
What about the blue-light ambulances used to whisk expectant mums in advanced stages of labour to Scarborough? Another reason to make sure the maternity unit is utilised properly!
Also,(I speak as one who used to work for the NHS in Hertfordshire, and made bookings for ambulances for wards and out-patients), remember that people who need oxygen or a stretcher to enable them to get to out-patient appointments usually have to wait for an emergency ambulance to have a lull in call- outs to get them to their appointment!!! Will they ever get there now ??
It's not any consolation, I know, but the hospital I was working for before I moved here 2 and a half years ago was having almost identical problems!!
_________________
Hmmmmmm! |
Reply from Jayne Barnes
9 th May 2005
Mick Pilling (Chairman)
Save/Support Bridlington Hospital Campaign Group
12, New Pasture Close,
Bridlington
East Yorkshire
YO16 7NT
Dear Mr Pilling
Thank you for your e-mail to which I will respond as follows;
With regard to the issues around Bridlington Hospital and in particular the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU), have been the topic of many discussions with the Primary Care Trusts within the area. Bridlington Hospital MIU is administered by Scarborough & Ryedale PCT and it is with this PCT that the majority of discussions over what category of patient the Ambulance service can and cannot present there.
Other discussions have also taken place with the Yorkshire Wolds and Coast PCT in an attempt to resolve the issues around what types of responses we have available to us within the funding allocation at our disposal. The position of the RRV in Bridlington was made quite clear last year that this vehicle at that time added little in respect of value for money particularly as there was no funding available to support it.
Given the difficulties we encounter daily I would not accept that we never have vehicles in Bridlington as the statistics show otherwise but do accept that there are periods of the day where we have specific issues which we are in the process of addressing. I accept that our vehicles do have to travel on occasions to hospitals outside the immediate area in order to access more appropriate treatment.
As a Trust we are required to achieve 75%, this is made up collectively through agreed trajectories with the individual PCT's of which there are 12 within TENYAS. These agreed trajectories reflect both the resource and either urban or rural pressures. It would be fair to say that rural areas will always be more problematic than urban as you have already pointed out the road networks in these areas are by nature more difficult to negotiate.
TENYAS has and is continuing to modernise and has recently undergone a structural redesign. This has allowed us to install a management structure that will look both strategically and tactically at what is required now and in the longer term in line with our vision for the future of TENYAS. This focuses on providing timely patient contact with the NHS and then ensuring an appropriate service response. The use of community hospitals is key to some of our proposals and we are in discussions with a number of NHS partner organisations, including the Yorkshire Wolds & Coast PCT, as to how they might be used in the future.
You will appreciate that change is continual and does not happen overnight, it would be folly to introduce something new to give a short term solution to a long term problem, however performance is at the forefront of everyone working in TENYAS. I would assure you that we are working had to improve our response to the patients and public we serve.
I note you have copied your e-mail to Mr Greg Knight MP and following the election we now have Mr Robert Goodwill MP. My Chairman will be writing to both of them to suggest it would be useful for us to meet with them at their convenience.
Yours sincerely
Jayne Barnes CBE
Chief Executive