The wrong type of patient is messing up the master plan........

[mk1]

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2012/07/03/teesside-hospital-trust-x-ray-cuts-could-mean-taxi-wait-84229-31311384/







Teesside hospital trust X-ray cuts could mean taxi wait

A TEESSIDE hospital trust plans to cut the number of X-ray staff employed on nightshift, as its radiology division attempts to save £660,000 by March 31.

Patients could be forced to wait a minimum of 45 minutes for a simple X-ray, following a "remodelling" of overnight services in radiology at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.

A confidential document seen by the Evening Gazette states the "low numbers and high costs of patients" attending the Hartlepool One Life Centre's Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) for X-rays after midnight provides evidence it is "not cost effective or a good use of staff resource".

As a result, it recommends one of three radiographers from Stockton's University Hospital of North Tees travelling by taxi whenever an MIU patient in Hartlepool needs an X-ray.

A staff consultation document, prepared by Marion Gowland, radiology services manager, reiterates the trust's need to find £40m savings over three years, resulting in "all directorates" being instructed to save 5% of their budgets.

Radiology has been given cost improvement targets of £660,000 it must save by March 2013.

Ms Gowland said although radiology management has a raft of initiatives under way to meet this, the cost of nightshift across three sites was "a major concern in terms of value for money" at £423,389.


Share on printFive radiographers are employed across three sites overnight and Ms Gowland states no radiographer posts will be lost. But a radiographer will no longer be required to do night duty at the MIU.

One radiographer is employed overnight at University Hospital of Hartlepool (UHH), much nearer to the MIU.

But using him or her in the MIU "would create a conflict of priority" and "create a potential to compromise the management of acutely ill patients," the document states.

Therefore the trust proposes sending a North Tees radiographer to Hartlepool at a cost of £22 for a return taxi fare each time an MIU patient needs an X-ray.

Figures collected by the trust show this compares to a cost per patient of £116.40 in March, and £101.10 in April. However, such patients could now be forced to wait 45 minutes for an X-ray, and Ms Gowland acknowledges "in extreme circumstances" the MIU could breach the four-hour waiting times target for A&E departments set nationally.

Julie Gillon, the trust's chief operating officer, said staff themselves suggested being on site overnight while seeing no patients was a waste of resources.

"Our aim is always to make the best use of resources available to us and ensure patient care and quality is not compromised," she said.



"Comparatively few images like X-rays are taken overnight and it can often be the case that a radiographer carries out no imaging on a night shift. We have had discussions with our staff about the safest, efficient and most effective way to provide services." A decision will be made after consultation.

[popgoestheweasal.]

The NHS should be based on your national insurance and tax. if you have worked all your life you get a first class service. if you are scrounger that has never worked you should be made to wait till the tax payers are seen.

[mk1]

The NHS should be based on your national insurance and tax. if you have worked all your life you get a first class service. if you are scrounger that has never worked you should be made to wait till the tax payers are seen.

What if you were born disabled and never worked?

[popgoestheweasal.]

Should go on your parents working history.

[JB]

What if you are also an orphan?

[popgoestheweasal.]

They are right out of luck.

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

Why not scrap the NHS then if it is only for those that can afford to have their lives saved and just have private health care.

Seriously, we have gone from not having enough money to run our hospital to not having enough money to run our little clinic.

Well and truly shafted.

[notenoughsaid]

To MK1....having read your post in full and in particular the paragraph regarding a radiographer being available at  UHH on a night, it seems ridiculous and expensive to taxi another over from Stockton.    The excuse given suggests it would compromise patients at UHH.   I feel the truth is that the trust dont want to set up a "short term fix" by using the local staff only to re-address the problem when the Hospital closes.   Just a thought.

[for fawkes sake]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if you weren't far off there NES.