Patients’ anger at long trips for minor injuries
NHS helpline ‘not utilising local centre’
PATIENTS WITH minor injuries are being left angry and frustrated after being sent miles from their town for medical help by staff at the NHS 111 helpline.
Councillors and Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart are concerned that in the five weeks after the minor injuries unit (MIU) shut at Withernsea Hospital, Wakefield-based call handlers are sending people on long treks for treatment when they are supposed to be offered an appointment at a new “eightto-eight” centre at the hospital.
Withernsea Mayor Terry Dagnall is among those who have called 111, only to be advised to go to Hull or Beverley. In the end, he “just suffered”.
He said: “I phoned up about a sprained ankle and they suggested an emergency centre 25 to 30 miles away, so I said what about Withernsea? They didn’t know what to say to me. When I spoke to the clinical commissioning group (CCG) about it, they made up some excuses.”
He added: “It was very bad experience. I told them they didn’t need to just educate the people of Withernsea, but also those on the switchboard.”
Coun Lyn Healing, who represents South East Holderness, has been inundated with complaints.
She said: “My phone is jammed with texts and messages from residents who have been sent everywhere but an eight-to-eight centre. People are being told to stay away from A&E unless it is absolutely urgent, but they are sending people there.
“The CCG and City Health Care Partnership (which provides the service) need to sit down and sort this out. I expected some teething problems but this is ridiculous. We are in the fifth week and if anything it seems to be getting worse. The consensus among residents is that it has been set up to fail.”
The MIU was closed despite massive opposition from residents and doctors.
Last year, the Holderness Health Alliance said the decision “substantially reduces services to nearly 50,000 patients in Holderness”, and warned: “Patients with the highest health needs and lowest access to transport will lose out. Our view is this will impact further on their health.”
Coun Healing said the CCG appeared “unaccountable” and is asking residents to contact her or Mr Stuart.
The East Riding of Yorkshire CCG’s chief officer, Jane Hawkard, said the centre would not show up as an option, if the symptoms were not “appropriate”.
The centre should be able to treat cuts and grazes, sprains and strains, burns and scalds, minor head injuries and insect and animal bites. Transport can be arranged for those with no means of getting to Beverley.
Ms Hawkard added: “All patients are different – some may only need self-care advice, or some may present with other accompanying symptoms which could signify something else going on that would need to be clinically managed on a different pathway. By calling NHS 111, the patient will be directed to the most appropriate treatment.”