NHS must do more to address challenges accessing healthcare in rural areas, councillor warns
The NHS must do more to address the challenges of accessing healthcare in rural areas, a councillor has warned.
East Lindsey district councillor Jill Makinson-Sanders (Independent – Louth St Mary’s) told members of Lincolnshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee that she was “disappointed” with the NHS’ winter plan.
The Integrated Care Board (ICB) which covers Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire has developed a plan to cope with winter pressures which includes steps to deliver more care at patients’ homes, to boost healthcare in care homes and to allow patients to be discharged on weekends.
At a meeting on Wednesday, October 14, Coun Makinson-Sanders said: “Getting a GP appointment is one of the most difficult things and you hear so many grumbles about that.”
She said extra staff would help avoid crowded rooms of people waiting for treatment.
She added: “It’s a brilliant service but it needs a bit more oomph in it.”
Coun Makinson-Sanders also called on the NHS to develop a strategy to address the challenges faced by rural and coastal communities in accessing services.
She added: “Given that about a third of our population is elderly, I’m rather disappointed because we also have caravan sites where people can stay in practically all year now, so I think that is a huge challenge to overcome.”
Coun Makinson-Sanders was critical of the plan in general and added: “What we see on the ground isn’t quite what we get from the professionals.”
In response to these concerns, Gemma Whysall, director of commissioning at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, said: “We’re absolutely looking at where our patients need to be and what is the right setting for them.
“So, do they need to be in an acute hospital bed or can we actually step them down into community hospital beds or care homes?
She added: “Anything we can do to support people out of bedded care to get into their place of residence, their home, wherever the person calls their home is really important and we will always endeavour to try and make that the first priority.
“But where people still need bedded care, we are looking at what’s the best mix of those beds, so should they be in community hospitals, what’s the length of stay like in those community hospitals and actually how do we work with our care home sector if people want to and can be in a care home then fantastic.”