As far as NHS Scotland which is a devolved matter and comes under the control of the Scottish Government is concerned there has been too much centralisation since the SNP came to power in May 2007.
The SNP controlled Scottish Government introduced degree courses for student nurses which was not necessary as anyone with ‘half a brain’ knows that ‘hands on training’ is the best form of training.
The number of Hospital beds throughout Scotland have been cut since 2007.
Islay Hospital used to have a least 12 beds and for at least the past 5 years this has been reduced to one ward of 6 beds.
An empty ward was used as a dumping ground for obsolete items as you could see the obsolete filing cabinets etc in it as you walked past it after leaving Islay Hospital.
When the first lockdown started on 23rd March 2020 this redundant ward had to be pressed into service as the place on Islay to get Coronavirus tests.
The problems with long delays at A&E could easily be resolved if people could get an appointment at their GP but some people are having to wait several days to get an appointment unless they say they need an emergency appointment.
Last Thursday morning (18th November) I phoned my GP surgery to get an appointment and the first appointment I could get was this
Monday (22nd November) with my consultation by telephone.
I was not offered a ‘face to face’ appointment.
If people need treatment quicker they turn up at A & E where they will be treated but this also jams up A & E with patients
that should have been treated by their GP if they could have got an appointment.
In my opinion more use of Kings Cross Hospital should happen.
At present if you phone NHS 24 after GP practices have closed for the day and speak to various people patients can be sent to see a GP at Kings Cross Hospital.
I think that Kings Cross Hospital should be used as ‘drop in’ surgery for people needing to see a GP but they cannot get an appointment at their own practice within 24 hours.
At present anyone on holiday in Dundee taking ill and requiring to see a GP has to register as a temporary patient with a GP practice which last for 90 days.
However a ‘drop in’ GP surgery in Kings Cross Hospital staffed on a shift basis throughout the day and night would do away with this problem and also reduce the number of people attending A & E for minor complaints.
Finally.
Over five years ago there used to be column in the Islay newspaper the Ileach written by one of the GPs on Islay about Health matters on Islay.
The GPs all have to be in charge of the A & E at Islay Hospital on a rota basis as well as treating patients at their GP surgery.
According to one article a local Islay resident turned up at A & E in Islay Hospital to get a packet of paracetamol for free as they were not prepared to pay for a packet of paracetamol in the Co-op in Bowmore which was open in that evening until 10pm.
This is another problem.
Drugs which can be purchased ‘over the counter’ in a chemist shop or supermarket in Scotland should not be handed out by a GP or at
an A & E as drugs such as paracetamol which can cost a small amount compared to the cost of issuing a prescription which is big business for chemist shops such as Boots and Superdrug.
Our GP on Islay prescribes and dispenses their own prescriptions which is lucrative for them.


Reply With Quote
