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Health Service Forum South East
Minutes of a regular meeting of the Health Service Forum S.E. held in the Larkfield Centre 13 November 2007
Contents
Chris Drapper, Transport Projects Manager
Blawarthill Development and St Margaret’s Hospic
Welcome
Margaret Hinds welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced the guest speaker Chris Drapper,
Transport Projects Manager for G G & C Health Board.
Apologies
Aileen Fyfe, Irene Addie, Alistair Mitchell, Rhoda Ritchie, Pat Lally, Mary Hamilton
Minutes
Minutes of the 9 October were adopted as correct. There were no matters arising.
Chris Drapper, Transport Projects Manager
Chris Drapper, Transport Projects Manager for G G & C Health Board gave a presentation on the following;
1. Hospital Evening Visitor Transport Service. The door to door service started in October 2006 and is funded by the NHS. It is a free service, open to residents who live within Glasgow City boundary and priority is given to the elderly and disabled. As from November 2007 the scheme will be extended to Rutherglen, Cambuslang, East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire. Yorkhill and the Queen Mum’s are not included. It is a partnership between the NHS, Glasgow City Council, the SPT, who provide the call centre, and Community Transport.
Mr Drapper stated that the useage to date has exceeded expectation. 20 people per week use the service.
If you need the service the booking hotline is 0845 128 4027 Mon-Thurs 1-4 p.m. Fri 1-3.30 p.m.
We hope that if this scheme is acceptable to patients more people will use it. The uptake at present doesn't seem all that great. Should anyone choose to use it wrongly by lying about age and/or disability, eligibility could be checked by the driver asking for a bus pass and/or blue card.
2. Housebound Project {a pilot running in the East and South West CHCP areas). It was arranged that nurse visit frail elderly, who had not visited their GP for an annual check up, to assess their ability to walk with support to transport. Community transport Glasgow supplied the vehicles and the drivers were briefed on how much support was needed. It was found that a great many housebound were lonely and depressed. Interim results show that 50% of patients have become more mobile as a result of this pilot scheme.
This scheme is to be welcomed. It is our understanding that GPs are duty bound to offer an annual checkup to the housebound.
3. Transport for the Physical Activity (‘Falls’ programme) exercise classes – NHS classes and NHS/Culture & Sport Glasgow (combined) classes. Community based exercise classes were set up and a transport system put in place to increase accessibility. It is planned that as from 7 January 2008 new classes will start and build up by June 2008 to 10 classes run by NHS and 10 by coaches from Culture and Leisure services. The NHS is funding the transport and physiotherapists. There should be a seamless transfer of patients from NHS, physio led classes to Culture & Leisure coach led.
4. Integrated Transport Pilot within Glasgow City. The Scottish Government is the driver of this scheme. The West CHCP, the Scottish Ambulance Service and the Glasgow City Council intend to pool assets and come up with a management system and categorise those who will use the system.
We applaud the efforts if they prove to work effectively and are properly monitored.
Margaret Hinds thanked Mr Drapper for giving the talk.
Correspondence
OUT :a) Letter to Alan Seabourne, Project Officer for the New South Acute Hospital inviting him to address a Forum meeting on the current plans for the development of the SGH. No reply as at 13 Nov - reminder sent off
b) Letter to Christine Grahame, Convener of the Health & Sport Committee of the Scottish Government re high level of unemployment among new graduates of Physiotherapy. No reply as at 31 October - copy sent to the assistant clerk to the committee David Simpson.
c) Invitation accepted by Kenryck Lloyd –Jones of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists to speak at the December meeting of the Forum.
d) Letter to Nicola Sturgeon, Health Minister, re the lack of complete agenda papers for G G & C Health Board meeting of the 23 October. This was acknowledged by her office on the 7 November.
Alastair Glen shared with Forum members the reply to his letter sent to the Health Minister about services in Glasgow and the BeCad hospital model. It was encouraging to read that ‘We are keen to look at models of care, wherever they are in the world, which offer useful lessons for NHS Scotland and we welcome dialogue on them.’
The Forum is hopeful of receiving a copy of a review of the functioning of the Brent BeCad in the near future.
Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer circulated a financial report showing a balance as at the 13 Nov of £2351.57. There are still outstanding dues and we would urge members to send a cheque to Dan Macphail,1 Rockmount Avenue, Thornliebank, Glasgow G46 7BU. Please note that £50 was paid to Scottish Health Campaigns Network as an affiliation fee and acknowledged.
Blawarthill Development and St Margaret’s Hospic
The Evening Times has highlighted the loss of £1.2m from the budget of St Margaret’s Hospice in Clydebank because the Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board has decided to transfer 30 beds for long term care to Blawarthill. The Hospice part of St Margaret’s, which has 30 beds for terminally ill people, is not affected by the plans. The new Blawarthill Hospital, located in Scotstounhill, is expected to open in 2009 and is being built by James Walker (Leith) in conjunction with Southern Cross Healthcare Group plc – a private healthcare company. The company runs 652 care homes in the UK including Cathkin Care Centre in East Kilbride.
Opting out of organ donation
Forum members discussed this issue and decided that we should write to the Scottish Government suggesting that this information should be included in the leaflet entitled ‘Your Emergency Care Summary’. This is the information available to medics in the event of an emergency.
Scottish Health Awards
The aim of the awards is to recognize and reward Scotland’s most committed and caring NHS workers who are prepared to go the extra mile. People who might be in jobs that normally don’t have a high profile and who generally should be recognized for their commitment to the NHS and their loyalty and devotion to their patients. The awards were made on 8 November and included six healthcare professionals working for the GG&C Health Board. It is a project run jointly by the Scottish Government, and the Scottish Daily Record. The event is supported by GE Healthcare and Pfizer.
Christmas Party
Douglas McGregor volunteered to investigate a suitable venue for a Christmas dinner in early December.
AOCB
James Sandeman and Margaret Hinds had each received a letter from Peter Hamilton, Chair of Involving People Committee, enclosing an application form to join the steering group on the Pharmaceutical Care Services Plan. ‘These lay advisors will be part of a group reviewing the way in which services are currently provided, examining existing plans to change services and then determining what more needs to be done to better meet the needs of local people.’ Any one interested must apply no later than 23 November 2007.
Next Meeting
Date of next meeting Tuesday 11 December 2007 at 7.30 p.m. in the Larkfield Centre.
CHRISTMAS PARTY
The Forum Christmas dinner will take place on Wednesday 12 December in Moyra Janes, Kildrostan Building, Pollokshields at 7 p.m. for 7 .30 p.m. The cost is £19.25(includes service charge) for a two course meal, coffee and mints. Wine is extra. Please let Louise Laing know as soon as possible if you wish a place booked. Tel 632 0172 or e-mail louise.c.laing@btinternet.com