Untitled Document

b) To Alex MacIntyre , Director of facilities GG&C Health Board, re provision for expansion at the Victoria ACAD. Replied stating that ‘It would not be the intention to add an additional floor to accommodate future developments. Expansion, if required, would take place ‘onto an area of land within the overall footprint of the development.’

c) To Niall McGrogan re poor standard of out-patient information for those attending appointments at the Royal Inf. A reply was received stating that he would be raising the matter of lack of information at bus stops with First Bus through the Regional Transport Partnership. He has asked the Royal Inf Manager to comment on the diagrams of the hospital and department enclosed with appointment letter.

a) Letter from John Scott MSP for Ayr thanking the Forum for the interest in the closure of the A&E at Ayr Hospital.

b) From Jane Grant, Director of Surgery & Anaesthetics SGH re our letter asking how many elective procedures were carried out in NHS hospitals, the Jubilee Hospital and private hospitals ‘On an annual basis the Health Boards within Scotland request specific requirements for additional capacity from the Jubilee. Each Health Board then receives an allocation and payment is based on the actual number of patients referred and treated.’

c) From Robert Calderwood, Chief Operating Officer of GG&C Health Board, on same subject giving figures for Glasgow only. The Board pays a contribution towards the overall cost of elective procedures carried out at the Golden Jubilee Hosp. The Scottish Executive pays the fixed overheads. In 2006 between Apr and Nov 2325 elective procedures and 1174 investigative endoscopies were carried out at the Golden Jubilee. Only 32 patients from Glasgow were treated in private hospitals.

Matters Arising

It was decided to write to Niall McGrogan asking if it would be possible for the hospitals to supply a Traveline print out to accompany their letter giving details of an appointment. The web site is www.traveline.org.uk and entry of simple data such as post codes of home, destination and date of travel will produce options for the traveller by public transport.

Treasurer’s report

Margaret reported on behalf of the treasurer a balance of £2337.00

Parking charges;

In April 2004 the Scottish Executive set out guidance on car park charging for all Health Boards. ‘The introduction or revision of car park charging is a matter for local determination by the responsible NHS Board. Charges should reflect a reasonable balance between the perceived needs of staff, patients and visitors, the cost of car parking generally in the area and the costs of maintaining car parking facilities.’

From the start of April 2007 GGC Health Board new car parking policy is being introduced at Gartnavel (including the new Beatson, the Homeopathic Hosp), the Western Inf, Yorkhill and the Queen Mother’s and the Victoria. The tariff; 0-2 hours - £1; 2-3 hours £2; 3-4 hours £3; 4-5 hours £4; 5-6 hours £5; 6-7 hours £6; 7-12 hours £12. In our view this is an outrageous charge on staff, patients and visitors. At the recent Scottish Network meeting it was reported that Tayside Health Board do not impose parking charges

At the Victoria Inf. all the parking spaces on the main hospital campus are being turned over to disabled blue badge parking and for staff permit holders. General access paid-for parking will be provided at the temporary Grange Road car park.

New Children’s Hospital;

Having read in the press that the number of beds at the new children’s hospital will be reduced because the £100m pledged by the Scottish Exec will be insufficient to build the necessary accommodation, we decided to write to Sir John Arbuthnott asking for further details. An acknowledgement has been received.

A&E Facilities;

We are delighted for the people of Inverclyde that the decision has been taken by the Executive to retain the A&E facility at the Inverclyde Royal Infirmary. We understand that approx 1,400 people per year will be affected by the decision while In Glasgow, the Victoria A&E, the busiest A&E in Glasgow and the 2^nd busiest in Scotland will be closed affecting at least 25,000 patients. This assumes that 70% of those who currently attend A&E can be dealt with at the Minor In juries Unit in the ACAD by Nurse Practitioners. Together with the closure of Stobhill casualty we have a clear picture of the number of patients in Glasgow who will be obliged to travel between Glasgow SE and the Southern General; Hospital and from the North to the Royal Infirmary.

Bed Shortages

The crisis due to bed shortages continues to cause grave concern. On Monday 19^th Feb at the Victoria one elderly woman had to spend the whole night on a trolley and another patient had to wait until 4:00 am for a bed! These waits are quite unacceptable but are not the fault of the A&E depts. There was not a bed to be had in any Glasgow hospital. Just how many times does this situation arise? How can the Health Board justify reducing the number of hospital beds in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde area?

Other Items

The extent of centralisation proposed by the health department and health boards throughout Scotland is not taking place in the health services of other countries.

In Central Middlesex, the Brent Emergency Care and Diagnostic Centre is a combination of an ACAD and an emergency admission facility including an A&E unit.

Public meetings; Invitations have been extended to political parties to provide candidates to speak about their party’s health manifesto for the May 3 Scottish Parliament election at two public meetings.

Dr Robert Cumming of the Scottish Health Campaigns Network has kindly agreed to chair both meetings.

April 5 Couper Institute, Clarkston Road, at 7.30 p.m. and

April 12 at Fairweather Hall, Newton Mearns, at 7.30 p.m.

Your opportunity to ask candidates;

What they would do about these dangerous and unacceptable bed shortages?

Do they agree with the closure of the Victoria’s A&E.?

How would they deal with the problems with ambulance emergency response times?

These are only three issues that could pose risks to patients’ lives.

Date of next meeting 13 March 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Contents