I have received this email regarding the NHS problems that disabled people are facing:
Cllr M Ali <Mohon.Ali@oldham.gov.uk>
To:
disabledkenny1@yahoo.co.uk
Cc:
Debbie Margiotta

13 Aug at 12:39

Hi Ken,

Please see response below from the Director of NHS Commissioning Services. Hope that it gives you some assurance that the views of your group are being represented.

1. Disabled people are having problems with GP’s from being unable to get appointments. They are unable to get GP’s to do home visits when they are housebound. Refusing to give out medication such as sleeping medication, so making their patients seriously ill in health. Refusing to refer the patients to consultants.

In response to your question relating to disabled people being unable to get GP appointments, access to GP appointments is a priority for the CCG.

For the last 3 years we have invested in an access scheme known as Boilerplate which aims to increase and standardise the amount of appointments available with a prescribing clinician to at least 75 appointments per 1000 registered patients within each practice, this equates to a minimum of 18,750 appointments across Oldham each year.

In addition, over half of practices offer extended hours appointments; these are appointments available outside of the contracted Mon-Fri8am-6.30pm. We also commission a 7-day Access Service which operates from 3 hubs during the hours 6.30-8pm each week day and 10am – 2pmat the weekend, this provides pre-bookable appointments with a GP; the closest to Chadderton would be the Oldham Integrated Care Centre, New Radcliffe Street, Oldham.

All GP practices should be sharing details of this service with patients if they wish to book an appointment outside of core contract hours.

In relation to refusal to undertake home visits to the housebound, GP practices are duty bound within their contract to visit patients at home should the patient not be able to get to the practice, however this responsibility is a matter for the GP’s judgment. If residents are able to provide details and evidence of where the GP has refused a home visit, we can look to investigate this further. Similarly if the GP is refusing to issue medication or referring a patient to hospital, this is again a matter for the GP’s judgment along with working to appropriate national and regional guidance such as NICE.

2. Taking far too long to get into pain clinic’s, up to 3-4 months.

The wait time for a pain clinic appointment is dependent upon the referral and the triage outcome of the most appropriate clinician identified to see the patient in clinic. The current wait for an Outpatient assessment within the Oldham Tier 2 Pain Management service is just under 6 weeks. The current wait for an outpatient appointment within the PAHT Tier 3 pain service is currently 1 week, and the next available slot within the complex Pain MDT is currently the 5th September.

If you would like any further detail on these services, or have any examples of individual patient experiences that you would like us to investigate further please do not hesitate to contact the CCG.

3. A long time to get surgery that is needed, so making the patients ill in health.

The CCG commission surgical procedures from a number of providers across the Greater Manchester footprint, including both NHS and the independent sector. The national constitutional standard sets out that 92% of patient should be assessed and received a first definitive treatment within 18 weeks of their referrals. Currently in Oldham we are just below this target at just under 90%.

There are a number of very pressured specialties including Trauma and Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology, Colorectal and General Surgery, often driven by high demand for services and workforce pressures.

The CCG is continuing to work with our local providers to ensure that more patients are seen and treated within 18 weeks, and we will continue to support providers in their recovery plans.

4. Waiting up to 4 months between appointments with physiotherapists. Patients are having to wait for months following consultations assessment in NHS hospitals to carry out treatment, often patients do not get to see a consultant, just a physiotherapist to tell the patients the consultants decision.

There are many different physiotherapy services across Oldham, dependent upon the patient’s presenting conditions, and therefore it is difficult to provide a response with regards to waiting times without more information. Patients are seen by the most appropriate clinician, with instances where a physiotherapist appointment may be more appropriate than a consultant appointment. If further details can be provided, the CCG will happily investigate any concerns regarding individual services.

Kind Regards

Mohon

Please let me know your views on these comments, thanks Kenny Fletcher