Report from I.W. Councillor John Nicholson

Posted by Admin on 19 February 2018, 10:47 pm

COUNCILLOR JOHN NICHOLSON

Ward Member for Northwood & Cowes South
Chairman of Policy & Scrutiny Committee for Adult Social Care & Health Committee

SUNNYSIDE

PALLANCE LANE

NORTHWOOD

PO31 8LT
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Tel: 01983 209642 (evenings best)

Mobile: 07918 757843
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Email: cllr.john.nicholson@btconnect.com

See the I.W. Councillor’s section

WARD REPORT – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

The Report appearing in the March 2018 edition of Northwood News:

Health Service Transformation – The Reality

The first thing that we must realise and appreciate is that the current evolved arrangements are not working well, so preserving the status quo is not a great option. At present there are too many Island people having to make journeys to the mainland for attention that could be brought back to the Island; examples are: to receive test results, check-ups, even new dressings, because the present system is not fluid enough and when patients are referred to the mainland for treatment, their case tends to reside there.

Also, we are a relatively small NHS Trust, and we cannot specialise in everything, because: a. there is not the local demand to justify or maintain practice experience and equipment, and b. we do not have the room to cater for everything, nor the number in staff to do it. As medical procedures advance, so they become more technically reliant and treatment becomes more specialist-led. I think that we can all accept that. Many can remember procedures, that take, literally, hours today, often involved an extended stay of days in hospital, plus complications and risks that are greatly negated under modern methods.

Specialisation is already creating a situation where certain hospitals deal with certain procedures, as centres of excellence, and recognising that, and working with it, then allows authorities to rationalise treatment. Meaning, only sending patients to specialist centres for the duration of that core specialist treatment, and taking them back into their local care as soon as possible, thus relieving the specialist centre valuable space and resource for other patients awaiting specialist attention. As I understand it, under the Transformation, the overall management of patient’s care will be retained locally, even though core specialist treatment may be at another centre, so there is better patient-focused consistency.

There are, of course, obstacles to be overcome; many of them are organisational and communication issues, but the biggest challenge for us on the Island is transfer on and off the Island. It is recognised that improved transit facilities need to be secured, both for reliability and patient care, and work is being done to try to address this fundamental issue as part of the medical service.

Under preliminary studies the end result of Transformation will be more patient-centred, enabling better patient care at locations that are best facilitated to deliver it, whether that is at home, on the Island, or at a centre with specialist knowledge and ability, but only for the duration needed for the level of care required, and, at a net reduction in patient travel off the Island, compared with what is happening currently. In other words, the Transformation process is aimed at delivering more intelligently managed patient care. Rumours that there are plans to ship all care facilities off the Island are simply not true, and completely unworkable, either financially or from a care delivery point of view, and the preliminary studies have included this option just so that it can be demonstrated as being a non-starter.

There will be opportunity for people to share their views on these proposed arrangements through a formal consultation, likely to take place towards the end of this year.

Business and the Regeneration Initiative

Running a pilot scheme to engage our local businesses with their local community and the Regeneration initiative is a step closer to landing in Northwood, with a formal offer now to be considered by the Parish. If the Parish do agree to take up this exciting opportunity that this presents, the next step should be to roll into Cowes and Gurnard, so involving the whole strategic regeneration zone on the NW side of the Medina. Traditionally, of course, the Marine industry has bridged Cowes and East Cowes, and this may then be a further move, but one step at a time.

Travellers Joy Changes Hands

The Travellers Joy has a new landlord, Pete Booth, who actually is an old face at the pub, as he first worked there when Derek and Ruth still ran the establishment. Pete, a former king of the Gurnard Pickle Wars, and responsible for the stuffed life forms seen outside the pub over Christmas and for the Beer & Buses festival, is a source of inspiration and, in his first week, has gone through the pub like a whirlwind, with a determination to restore it to its former glory at the heart of the community.

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John Nicholson
Ward Member for Northwood & Cowes South.