No doubt I’ll get shot down here but as is so often the case, real experience shows the difference between what should happen and what actually does.
We have a wonderful new medical facility in the Spalding Johnson Hospital with kind and efficient staff but it seems that neither the public nor some local surgery staff understand exactly what services are available there or how to access them.
I’ve recently been informed of incidents where patients have been referred to main hospital casualty units unnecessarily, possibly to avoid them being referred upwards when problems may be beyond the ability of Johnson.
It’s wise to be on the safe side but clearly every case is different.
Our major hospitals are already struggling and can be difficult and expensive to access for rural and elderly people.
To take one example, exactly what are “minor injuries”? No doubt that and other information is available if you dig for it but not everyone can use Google or websites.
Please may I ask that both the hospital and local surgeries talk to each other and to local politicians more and that the hospital keeps residents informed of how they can help in the case of minor emergencies.
It’s important we get this right now, before the huge proposed local building projects are completed, the population grows and demand for services significantly increase.
Coun Paul Foyster
Holbeach
