NHS local community hubs

It reminds me of the old cottage hospitals from the 50s and 60s

It's already started to happen round here. An increasing number of outpatient clinics are taking place in local hubs. Travel time is reduced and parking is easier. Good move.

There is a hint of reinventing the wheel about it. As Grandmabatty says we did once have cottage hospitals.

I live very rurally and anything that might bring help a bit nearer is to be welcomed - it is a 35 minute drive to my surgery and no public transport - but I am not sure it would make financial sense to bring things any nearer as the population is sparse.

If the new policy gives work to unemployed newly qualified doctors then that would be good. And if there were a system whereby if taking blood is required it is done on the spot rather than, as now, having to make another appointment and do the 70 minute round trip all over again!!

In the 80's and 90's services were being channelled away from localities into large hospitals (new or expanded) which are harder to reach for those not absolutely local to them and parking is an utter nightmare... The rationale was that by concentrating expertise in one place a higher quality service would result.

I assume that rationale no longer applies (if it ever did)?

Or will community hubs dilute the available expertise and provide a poorer service?

It will still be possible to refer on to centres of excellence.

We also live rurally but a 10 minute drive from our very good GP practice. Our local hospital is a good 45 minute drive where the parking is awful. If this helps patients and makes our lives easier I’m all for it.

This will sound a bit simple but the numbers quoted for community hubs are minuscule. Is it five or six to begin with? Obviously more to follow but when and where?

My experience of community hubs is that they are staffed mainly by advanced practitioner nurses, who are linked online to the main hospital.

When I had a suspicious mole on my back, I went to a hub about 10 minutes away. A nurse took pictures with a special camera of the mole and sent them immediately to somebody at the main hospital. I was told within minutes that it was highly likely it was cancerous and an appointment was made within days for me to have a biopsy at the main hospital. I did have to travel to hospital for the biopsy and subsequent removal, but I was saved one journey. My follow-up appointments have been at the hub.

Breast cancer appointments still take place at the breast cancer centre because they have the scanning machines, in case anything suspicious shows up.

Diabetic eye tests take place at a community hospital and the GP surgery does all my blood tests. Cardiac rehab took place at a local centre too.

We have discovered the small injuries clinic recently, and they are everywhere, much smaller queues and easier parking.

ronib

This will sound a bit simple but the numbers quoted for community hubs are minuscule. Is it five or six to begin with? Obviously more to follow but when and where?

There are already at least three within my local area, so I think it will be more than five or six.

The local hospital within 10 minutes of my house is in Kemi Badenoch's constituency - the one she doesn't know exists!

growstuff

It's already started to happen round here. An increasing number of outpatient clinics are taking place in local hubs. Travel time is reduced and parking is easier. Good move.

We have them in my part of our county also growstuff they seem to work well, much quicker to get an appointment than at the big teaching hospitals.

What is planned for the very good walk in clinics? Do they stay?

It's happening here too growstuff. But then this government came in on a promise to devolve the NHS as well as political power.

As well as this the promise that they would leverage technology to improve the NHS and government departments can also be seen in our area.

Many people have a misconception of the tax they pay. Middle income tax payers pay the lowest tax in the G7 (New Statesman) but feel they are paying too much because of 14 years of far-right stripping out of services. That means people are paying too much for what they get, not too much in general.

One thing I cannot understand is why they haven't stripped out council tax - one of the most regressive taxes we have. It's a huge burden to those on lower incomes but small for these on the highest incomes. Add to that the fact that the majority of councils have to use 80% of Council Tax to pay for Care and you have to wonder why it isn't under close scrutiny, removing the cost of care from Councils to NI and using a local income tax to provide funds for Council Services.

None of this means I want an alternative government at the moment but they really do need a proper communications team!

growstuff

ronib

This will sound a bit simple but the numbers quoted for community hubs are minuscule. Is it five or six to begin with? Obviously more to follow but when and where?

There are already at least three within my local area, so I think it will be more than five or six.

Specific details such as the exact number of National Health Hubs the Govenment plan to establish have not been definitively outlined or officially confirmed as far as I'm aware. It is being done locally, which is logical if you understand that devolution is one of the main government drivers.

ronib

What is planned for the very good walk in clinics? Do they stay?

For the most detailed and current information, I would recommend reviewing Labour's official healthcare policy documents or recent speeches. Then you could tell us!

ronib

This will sound a bit simple but the numbers quoted for community hubs are minuscule. Is it five or six to begin with? Obviously more to follow but when and where?

I guess it has to start somewhere

I just wonder where they think the qualified staff to man this idea will come from? I assume they know, where the extra Admin, Domestic, Portering, plus Diagnostic, Clinical staff to name a few will come from?

As someone who has undertaken an NHS department transfer including working in the community it's not a walk in the park.
Looks great on paper but one of the reasons these old Cottages Hospitals shut.
The community hospitals near me, work fine but they are Privately supplied and contracted out to the NHS.

No walk in clinics or small injuries clinics round here, not even in the nearest city. They would be very welcome.

I have mentally filed this away with the 40 new hospitals PoliticsNerd. Just another sleight of hand? My hay fever is preventing any enthusiasm for ploughing through Labour policy documents… and my common sense is telling me not to bother -

We have a local minor injuries unit and it is very good. We also have one of the new diagnostic centres (not sure of the official name) but town centre where you can get xrays and scans without having to travel to the hospital. I haven't been there but it sounds like a good idea.

I’m all for this and I’m also hoping the IT will be improved and far more joined up than it is now.

I find the nhs app invaluable. At our surgery getting an appointment via reception is not easy. However when I use the app I’m usually seen same or next day. I fully describe the problem and they respond.

Hopefully IT improvements all round will help us all.

Of course this 'country wide ' programme ( according to BBC), is only being rolled out in England. Therefore Wales, Scotland and I think N Ireland is not part of the scheme. I do wish that new reports would actually mention this.