28th January 2013

Worrying Signs

Scotland’s health service is greatly valued, delivering the highest possible care from cradle to grave.

 

But it’s under pressure at this time; a quick reading of the press cuttings will confirm that.

 

Having services delivered locally are very important to the Inverclyde community which fought off the threat of the accident and emergency services at the IRH.

 

Other than the Health Board’s obsession to close our midwife maternity led service there has been relative stability since that time.

 

But the signs for the future are not good.

 

All is not well in Scotland’s NHS.

 

We just heard last week that if you go into hospital on a bank holiday you are 48% more likely to die because of a shortage of staff.

 

Bed reductions have resulted in trolley waits of eight hours raising the ire of nurses, union leaders and relatives who have protested over this treatment here in Inverclyde.

 

Cancer medicines which are freely available in England cannot be accessed in Scotland.

 

And waiting times are being fiddled and inquiries are now underway as a result.

 

It is a matter of some concern that it is in this environment that the Greater, Glasgow and Clyde Health Board have ordered a clinical review of their hospital services.

 

Watch this space.