A complaints advocate is available to patients and their families in Pembrokeshire who feel they have been let down by health services in the county. She can be contacted by getting in touch with Pembrokeshire Community Health Council. During a recent meeting of the council, members were pleased to receive a presentation from the advocate, who stressed her role was to help people who felt uncomfortable dealing directly with the National Health Service; to act for people who wished to have their viewpoint heard; and mediate and resolve disputes. She also collects information regarding the NHS. The advocate stressed her service was not about obtaining compensation. Patients and their families seeking compensation should go down the legal route. Some Welsh community health councils, who monitor health services in their area on behalf of the public, have difficulty recruiting members, but Pembrokeshire Community Health Council has no such problem, council members were pleased to hear when they met recently. Pembrokeshire Community Health Council was oversubscribed with would-be members and at the time of its last recruitment exercise had more applicants than any other CHC within Wales. A new membership campaign will begin in early 2005. MINOR INJURIES
Concern at the loss of the minor injury service that has been traditionally provided by GPs was voiced again when Pembrokeshire Community Health Council met last month. Under the new national contract, doctors have no obligation to provide a minor injury service. Such a service is now an optional extra for doctors. Patients now have to travel to the accident and emergency department at Withybush Hospital, or the minor injuries units at South Pembrokeshire and Tenby Hospitals. Members felt that the needs of patients had been ignored when the contract was negotiated. Pembrokeshire Local Health Board (LHB) who have the overall responsibility for the contract, said they are monitoring gaps in the service, and they will be asking GPs if they now wish to provide a minor injuries service. Some doctors have already expressed an interest in doing so. However, if doctors don't want to get involved, there was not much the LHB could do. The CHC was also concerned that the lack of the GPs' minor injury service might increase the work load of the ambulance service, but an ambulance service representative told the meeting that there was no evidence of this so far.
RESPONSE TIMES Ambulance response times in the county are improving. This was the welcome message received by Pembrokeshire Community Health Council during their recent meeting. Members were also pleased that the pilot 24-hour ambulance coverage for Milford Haven was to be extended to the end of the year. News that paramedics can now administer life-saving drugs to patients suffering heart attacks was also warmly welcomed by the council. NEW RESOURCE CENTRE
The launch of a new resource centre for children with complex needs, the first in Wales, was greeted with enthusiasm when Pembrokeshire Community Health Council met last month. The authority behind the innovative project, Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust, were congratulated on their initiative in setting up such a service, which it was felt will be a pioneer for good practice throughout Wales. The flagship resource centre will enable youngsters to stay within west Wales, rather than them being relocated elsewhere. Children can also be brought into the centre for assessment. An eating disorder service is also being provided, which now means some young patients can be supported in Pembrokeshire, rather than having to travel out of the county. NEW DENTIST APPOINTED
The recent appointment of a dentist to ease the crisis in dental services throughout the county was applauded by members of Pembrokeshire Community Health during their recent meeting, but members wondered how one person could meet the huge demand. The appointment was made by Pembrokeshire Local Health Board, who explained that they run a dental helpline, and log those people who want dental care. About 900 patients have registered through the helpline. The newly-appointed dentist will undertake an access and assessment examination of unregistered patients as a short-term measure. Members were also concerned that the pressure on the community dental service meant that school children were no longer being screened. No dental screening had taken place for the last two years. The LHB representative at the meeting conceded that there was a crisis in the community dental service, brought on by the lack of resources, and the inability to attract dentists to west Wales. A new contract for dentists and pharmacists was in the offing, and this will be a challenge for LHBs, according to Pembrokeshire Local Health Board. OPERATIONS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED
Twenty patients waiting for much-needed orthopaedic surgery could have their operations performed earlier than expected, if the monthly outpatient clinic at Crymych is closed, members of Pembrokeshire Community Health Council heard recently. The clinic is run by Pembrokeshire and Derwen Trust, who say that if the clinic's doors are shut, this will free up staff, enabling them to spend one extra day in a second theatre at Withybush Hospital. This will reduce orthopaedic waiting times by the end of March. Patients who would have gone to the Crymych clinic will still be seen on time at a clinic at Withybush General Hospital, assured the trust, who will provide transport to Haverfordwest if required. Some council members expressed concerns about the loss of the outlying rural clinic, but the trust pointed out that a hard choice had to be made. The trust pledged that the situation will be looked at again in the spring, and they will then give a review to the community health council.
BUS SERVICE TO CONTINUE? Pembrokeshire Community Health Council want to see the bus service provided for rural patients in Maenclochog and Clarbeston Road continue to run. The bus was laid on when the two branch surgeries in the villages closed. It transported patients to the main surgery in Narberth. During their recent meeting, the council agreed to ask that the bus takes to the rural roads again.
SURGERY INSPECTIONS All GPs surgeries in Pembrokeshire are to be inspected by the county's health watchdog, Pembrokeshire Community Health Council. The 18 practices will be visited each year by council members, who already tour hospitals and clinics on behalf of the public. The council is to work with Pembrokeshire Local Health Board to agree a visiting protocol, whilst maintaining the council's independence. VOLUNTEER CHECKS
Volunteers who serve on Pembrokeshire Community Health Council could be checked to see if they have a criminal record. The issue was raised when the council met last month after they were presented with a report from the Board of Community Health Councils in Wales. The board had accepted a proposal that CHC members should be subjected to a CRB check. But a member complained at the lack of consultation over the proposal, and it was agreed to debate the issue when more information becomes available.
HEALTH WATCHDOG
Pembrokeshire Community Health Council is you local health watchdog, monitoring health services on your behalf. The council can be contacted at 5 Picton Place Haverfordwest, tel 01437 765816, fax 01437 779897, or email [email protected]">[email protected] The public are also welcome to attend council meetings. The next meeting will be held at Withybush Conference Centre on January 17, at 7 pm.