From the Patient Participation Group: Charlbury Surgery

Thu 19 Apr 2018, 09:05

In today's Oxford Mail...

www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16169858.HOSPITAL_SHAKE_UP__Health_chiefs_must_climb_down_from___39_Ivory_Tower__39_/?ref=eb

Wed 18 Apr 2018, 07:11

Why is all this information not on the Health Centre website?

Tue 17 Apr 2018, 19:11

Or you could register with chipping Norton health centre along with many other charlbury residents

Tue 17 Apr 2018, 18:25 (last edited on Tue 17 Apr 2018, 18:26)

You would also need basic DBS check, also Safe from Harm training if it is a friend or neighbour OK but otherwise you can't just set up a help system however laudable

Tue 17 Apr 2018, 18:06

Suggest all the laudable volunteers 1 - clear such an activity with their insurers, and 2 - have some first aid training.If you are transporting a "patient" and their "condition", whatever it is, suddenly deteriorates, would you know exactly what to do, or would you deliver an individual in a critical condition, or even worse, a cadaver? I suppose one could make a hasty detour to A & E (wherever that might be these days).
I know I'm certainly not qualified to carry out such potentially challenging duties, even though I agree with the idea. Perhaps ATIC people are trained and covered?
Unfortunately, in this compensation culture age, to try to defend oneself against a negligence claim could be very tricky, hence my reference to making your insurers aware. Most car policies cover domestic use only, not quasi-paramedic duties.

Tue 17 Apr 2018, 17:31

Can "All Together in Charlbury" really respond quickly enough to be of help in getting Charlbury Medical Centre patients to Witney? If so, then good, & we should spread the news that it can. If not, then this is indeed an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. Like Jon, I wonder how somebody is supposed to get to Witney for an appointment if she or he is very unwell.

I know that Charlbury Surgery had been advertising for a replacement permanent doctor, & was finding it difficult to find somebody. It would be good to know if the search is still ongoing & this is just a temporary crisis.

Since the surgery has also lost a senior nurse, & was also advertising for locums to cover staff shortages, I feel that it is very unlikely that the surgery itself will be able to help getting patients to Witney. More information would be much appreciated.

Tue 17 Apr 2018, 08:54

ATIC are organising transport for different things see their postings

Tue 17 Apr 2018, 08:27

Has any thought been given to the question of transport? With 90 minute gaps between buses in the mornings and no buses for much of the afternoon, people who are in need of same-day treatment or medication seem unlikely to be in a fit state to use public transport, and depending how you feel, lurching and bumping on buses on potholed roads can be very unpleasant, not to say injurious to health.

Depending on what was involved, I could be willing to drive to an appointment on a specific day or time. It occurs to me that if the surgery has so few doctors on duty, the staff must have a lot of free time that would previously have been used servicing the doctors, so could maybe administer a rota of drivers?

With the closure of the Evergreens, the reduced numbers at the Day Centre, and now the loss of part of the service at the surgery, perhaps we need some new thinking on how the needs of the elderly can best be met.

Mon 16 Apr 2018, 13:09

Charlbury Surgery is currently understaffed owing to the recent retirement of Dr. Golder and sickness. This means that some patients cannot be seen on the same day and staff at the surgery are grateful for understanding from their patients at this time.
In addition, Ben at the Pharmacy is having to provide cover for Chipping Norton

Some patients who need to be seen urgently may be referred to the Hub in Witney. The Hub has been situated at the Windrush Health Centre for two years and is staffed by a variety of health professionals, including a GP, Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Paramedic and on some days a Physiotherapist. There are usually two or three of them there. It is not a walk-in centre. The system is used by all the practices in West Oxfordshire so patients are referred from Charlbury, Bampton, Eynsham, the Nuffield or any other of the local eight practices. It was set up with some special funding as a trial and worked so well that it not only continues in Witney, but it is being copied nationwide.