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Norfolk PCT and Service Users.


Early in 2007 I responded to the PCT consultation on “Intermediate Treatment” (see ppeyes ). That summer, with the PCT dragging their heels publishing the final report I had further correspondence with them (see pplog archives for July 2007) including notice of a formal complaint that their consultation document was in breach of the Disability Equality Duty.

By 27th October, still having heard nothing about the final report I sent this as a Freedom of Information Act request:

“Can you please tell me what has happened/is happening to the Our Health, Our Care - Have Your Say (Intermediate Treatment Services) final report, of which those of us who responded to the consultation were promised a copy?”

On 30th October I received this:

“The document to which you are referring is now complete and after being sent to the printers for production, was received at the PCT last Wednesday.  We are in the process of pulling together labels lists of all those who expressed an interest in receiving a copy, of which you are one.  It is anticipated that these documents will be distributed within the next week.”

Now well into January 2008 I still haven’t received of the document to which I was referring.

As if to rub in their blatant cavalier attitude to consulting service users I now accidentally hear they have another consultation for which they have set up four public meetings - two of them 20 miles from here and two of them 40 miles from here!!!!!!!! And there has been no publicity I have seen anywhere about the consultation (apparently they’ve also issued documentation for this) or the meetings.

I’ve politely sent this:

“As a major service user respondent to the Intermediate Treatment consultation last year (and I'm still waiting for a copy of that final report) I should be on your list for notification of future consultation events but have heard nothing directly about these meetings and certainly have not received any documentation. 

Can you please let me have the full information. You have my address on file.”

I’ll never forget the retort from a senior PCT officer when (yet again) I complained about rural areas being excluded by PCT practices. He said: “Well that’s your fault for choosing to live where you do.”

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