‘Amazing patients more concerned about us’ – GP
A HASLINGDEN GP has praised the community response to the challenges of coronavirus amid the pressures of personal protective equipment
(PPE) shortages and addressing other serious healthcare needs in Rossendale.
Dr Abdul Mannan, of
The Surgery on Manchester Road, said he and colleagues had felt “a bit left on our own” when they had to spend around £700 purchasing PPE items such as face masks, gloves and hair nets on Amazon, but that the practice’s clinical commissioning group (CCG) had guaranteed full reimbursement of this cost.
Dr Mannan, who is also patients in the Valley and has had to adapt some services.
Clare Richards, head of fundraising, said: “Some of our events were just in the planning stage and have had to be stopped altogether. We are working hard to reschedule events where we can and even make some ‘virtual’ where possible. We have also postponed our eagerly awaited Rossendale Woman of the Year event. Given the massive impact this pandemic is having on society, we are estimating losses of around £100,000 over the next few months.”
The “Carry on Caring” campaign aims to address this shortfall and to help ensure the charity can carry on doing what it does best. Almost 2,000 supporters were emailed on Friday and asked to make a donation if they are in a position to be able to help. The campaign has been widely shared on social media and has had a positive initial response. clinical director for the Rossendale Primary Care Network, said: “Let’s not beat around the bush, things could have been done a lot better.”
He added: “You can argue about whether the government could have been better prepared about this three, four months ago, but I’m not sure. I think these things are difficult.
“How could you rehearse for something like this? You’re talking protocols which haven’t been enacted since the war.”
The GP, who lives in Rawtenstall, meanwhile thanked his practice’s patients for their cooperation as it has introduced a number of measures to reduce surgery footfall and ensure delivery of primary care during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Patients have been remarkable, they are probably the biggest enablers in the system,” Dr Mannan said. “That’s one good thing about the British, we follow instructions, we’ll queue up even if there isn’t a need for a queue. They themselves are very, very well aware of the rules and they don’t want to create danger to themselves or to others.
“They don’t want to put us at any risk. They’re more concerned about us than we are about them, it’s amazing!”
He added that he and protect both our nurses and our patients. The hospice needs the support of the Valley now more than ever to keep our services going. We appreciate these are the most difficult times for all, but we would be most grateful if you are able to make a other senior Rossendale GPs had regularly been working 10 to 12 hour days over the last two weeks, with Easter and May bank holidays set to be dropped.
“This isn’t a race, it’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon,” he said. “So we will have to look closely very soon at how do we manage this marathon and make sure we don’t burn out?”
Measures introduced by Dr Mannan’s practice include moving to a “total triage” system, in which consultations are conducted over voice or video calls to protect the most vulnerable patients, as well as an increase in the number of home visits so that shielded patients don’t donation, however large or small.”
To make a donation visit www.rossendalehospice.org and follow the ‘Carry on Caring’ links. For up to date information on events visit www.rossendalehospice. org/ events. have to leave their homes.
Dr Mannan, 43, added that staff duties have been segregated so that younger practitioners like him take on face-to-face appointments to protect older colleagues and those with their own underlying health conditions, whilst receptionists are no longer stationed in the reception.
Dr Mannan has also worked with Rossendale Leisure Trust to provide health advice and convey government information through the Healthy Rossendale Facebook group - membership of which has leapt from around 200 to over 3,000 in the last few weeks - and set up the Rossendale
Connected Hub, a resource where people can seek advice on a range of concerns from food and medication delivery to bereavement services in relation to coronavirus.
“Everybody’s got a part to play in this, and it’s not a time to be vilifying one another,” Dr Mannan added. “Yes, clap your NHS heroes on a Thursday at eight o’clock, but if the binmen didn’t do their bit, if the porters didn’t do their bit, if the cleaners didn’t do their bit, we would be in deep trouble as well. So sometimes we forget that.”
The Rossendale Connected Hub can be contacted via its phoneline on 01706 227016.
●● Dr Abdul Mannan