NOTEBOOK by BILL HEANEY
There has been fierce criticism of NHS services from the Royal College of Nursing this week.And they have revealed today that NHS leaders “held a positive meeting with local campaigners as they continued to reiterate the importance of patients getting the right care in the right place, especially during winter”.
At this first meeting of 2025 with the Hospital Watch group, Melanie McColgan, Director of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Clyde sector, stressed the importance of people having a referral to the Vale of Leven’s Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) rather than turning up unannounced.
And they pointed out that patients can be referred to the MAU by their GP or by calling NHS 24 on 111 out of hours.
Those who do arrive without an appointment may be redirected to another service, which could have been arranged for them earlier if they had contacted their GP or NHS 24 on 111 in advance, the maintain.
Two members of Hospital Watch, led by chair Jim Moohan, attended the meeting to hear about activity at the hospital from Ms McColgan and the Vale of Leven’s Clinical Services Manager and Lead Nurse, Margaret O’Rourke.They say they received reassurances on the Vale of Leven Hospital services and discussed the pressure being put on them by people self-referring.
Melanie McColgan, Director of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Clyde sector, said: “We were pleased to have another positive and productive meeting with members of the Hospital Watch group at the Vale of Leven Hospital today.
“We value their support in helping us reiterate our messages to the public, and are always happy to give them a full update about activity at the hospital.
“We’re currently in the winter period which brings additional pressures on our hospitals. We are asking the public to help us ensure they get the right care in the right place by contacting their GP in-hours for non-life threatening conditions, or NHS 24 on 111 outside normal hours.
“This will allow us to refer patients to the right place for them, reducing the need for any secondary transfer.”
Jim Moohan said: “It is important the public continue to follow the pathway in relation to attendance at the Vale of Leven Hospital.
“That includes seeking advice and following the link provided by their pharmacy and GP, and allowing the GP to move the situation forward where necessary.
“Self-referral to the Vale of Leven Hospital puts undue pressure on the hospital, and we are grateful to the public for continuing to follow this vital pathway by contacting their GP in-hours and NHS 24 on 111.”
However, patients are not content with the services they are currently receiving.
Bev Burns tells us: “GPS and hospital seem to have differing opinions on where we are to be sent. I had a dislocated knee and was sent by gp to minor injuries for treatment only to be told by minor injuries that because I woke up with dislocated knee it wasn’t an injury and I had been sent to the wrong department.
“After some grumbling on their part I was treated and very well. But it’s all confusing to me on what to do if it happens again. No one in pain want to be greeted by the attitude of you’re not meant to be here. So think some better communication needs to happen between Gps and hospital departments.”
Norah Gibson said: “[There are] so many differing opinions on this subject. Although it’s understandable to some degree about being referred by NHS24 it does most definitely make people feel uneasy. Especially when GP appointments are so hard to come by and self referral seems the quickest and easiest solution.
Local health centres – Dumbarton, Helensburgh, Alexandria and, top of page, Vale of Leven District General Hospital.
“It was never ever an issue before years ago and therefore it gave you the confidence to know that if you really had to you could turn up and be seen without any problem. The Vale is a fantastic hospital with amazing and caring staff. Just so sad [it is] not used to full capacity in many ways. Think of the pressure it would take off likes of the RAH etc if it were a full blown A&E. Need to keep up the good fight for this to happen. Then no debates would be necessary and give local people peace of mind.”
Bev Burns said: “It was an incredible hospital when it was fully open.”
Norah Gibson agreed — “It sure was in every way possible. [It’s] such a waste. The NHS need to realise its worth especially under the current circumstances.”
Joan Delahaye said: “This [the pathway outlined above] seems to be more about the convenience to the hospital rather than the patient.
“There is no mention of GP appointments being sporadic at best or non existent at worst. I have a number of health issues, but I have found it best to just get on with it since help is just not there.”
Jo Ellis told Joan: “I understand how that seems to be the case but it definitely isn’t. In the last few weeks we have seen every bed in the hospital full with nowhere for more patients to be admitted.
“However if they had called NHS 24 first these plus huge waiting times may have been avoided for some.”
The two women disagreed: “Jo Ellis I’m sorry, but that is the case. I had occasion to call nhs24 last Easter; it took me ages to get through and trying to answer questions when I literally couldn’t breathe was a nightmare. I was given an appointment at the Vale eventually but, being housebound with arthritis pain I had to ask someone to take me. A neighbour kindly obliged although being Easter weekend they interrupted their Easter plans for me which I felt bad about.
“You may not realise it Jo but it’s a sad fact that the NHS is dead if not yet buried. All the excuses in the world are not going to change that. I know that front line staff are under pressure and it’s not their fault. The system is broken.
“Go back to the old days when you didn’t need an appointment to see a doctor. You waited your turn in the waiting room and the doctor stayed till everyone was seen.
“GPS don’t seem to want to work these days. The NHS are supposed to be [providing] primary care. It isn’t.
“Now, pharmacies are expected to treat people for minor ailments which puts them under pressure, so it’s a knock on effect. If we can’t see our GP and [we are] not allowed to go to the hospital, what are we supposed to do?”