PPlog

The James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston is our local hospital - not strictly speaking ‘local’ as it’s 13 miles away on the coast but it is the nearest. I went to the JPUH (unfortunate homophone) Annual General Meeting last week. Give it its due - it’s in the lead for infection controls and is doing some fine work in terms of patient dignity and single gender wards. At the AGM there were excellent presentations on some pioneering deep vein thrombosis risk detection and prevention; a new breast cancer suite and leading edge equipment with digitalised mobile services and some nationally praised breast cancer reconstruction surgery; brand new IT equipment for patient feedback before and after care and treatment; and plans for a purpose built hospice in the grounds. But I’ve just had cause to make a formal complaint about my own awful treatment at the JPUG Pain Clinic - led by Dr Willy Notcutt, once at the forefront of pain treatment in the UK (I u...

On Friday last I was an invited service user participant in workshops on the government’s National Dementia Strategy. The framework of the workshops was refreshingly good with all participants having been asked to read a selection of the strategy objectives beforehand. There was the minimum of unessential presentations with a tight focus on the workshops themselves, each of which was on a specific objective. One of the aims was to work towards determining local priorities. The day was presented as a joint strategic exercise by Norfolk County Council, NHS Norfolk (Norfolk PCT) and NHS Gt Yarmouth and Waveney (Yarmouth and Waveney PCT). Presumably, this was at least a wave in the direction of the spirit of joint working. Each participant attended four workshops throughout the day. My four were: Objectives 8, 2, 1 and 4 which were respectively: improved quality of care in general hospitals good quality early diagnosis and intervention for all improving public and professional awaren...

New Horizons A Consultation Response By Mike Llywelyn Cox, Service User, New Horizons appears to have been put together by those whose mindsets are essentially urban. The practice examples in the document are mainly: Marlborough; Oxford; Birmingham and Solihull; Melbourne, Australia; Bournemouth, Southampton and Derby; Time to Change; Wirral and Mersey; Shoreditch; South Tyneside; Manchester, Merseyside, Luton; Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich; North London; South West London; Sheffield; Thames Valley; Newham; Hackney; Glasgow; Sandwell; York; and Poole. Rural areas have some separate and special issues which should be addressed by those who understand those issues. The whole of the document should be Rural Proofed. In thirty years of Mental Health Social Work and ASW practice I continually experienced the common lesson that complex bureaucracies can precipitate mental health crises - and I’m talking about such simple things as an overbearing and thoughtless letter from the rent re...

My mail today to CQC: Hello. This is a quick response to your consultation, having only just become aware of it in your recent Newsletter. My concerns are: • There must be readily accessible independent advocacy services available to all users of mental health services - not just those subject to the MH Act 1983. • MHAC has done excellent work since its establishment. CQC should ensure they are fully commited to this and, in the name of equality, consider extending the brief to informal patients. • Rural areas are the Cinderellas of the Cinderella service. There are gross inequalities in the provision of, standards of and quality between urban and rural areas. For example, in my area (the eastern part of south Norfolk), there is almost a complete absence of mental health services with the majority of people having to travel as much as 25 miles into Norwich to get seen. The PCT knows this and has done so since before the PCT reorganisation. To my...

Was what I was saying when I responded to the Care Quality Commission’s ad for Experts by Experience (service users and carers) to accompany their inspectors on visits. The first problem is that this is an indirect process: you have to do it through one of their selected charitable agencies. so I mounted the first hurdle and found my way through seven pages of their website, and downloading a list of their selections. The second hurdle was contacting the National Centre for Independent Living explaining what I was contacting them for. They eventually replied saying they didn’t know what I was talking about. The third hurdle was repeating this with an alternative body, Age Concern/Help the Aged. They replied by sending me the fourth hurdle which was: Role applied for: Expert by Experience Department: Speaking Up for Our Age/Community Services Closing Date: Please return as soon as possible Help the Aged is committed to treating job applicants and employees fairly and consi...