APPENDIX 14
Memorandum by Dr Mark FitzGerald (SH 25)
1. I write as a single-handed consultant
in Genitourinary Medicine, covering the whole of Somerset from
two clinics in Taunton and Yeovil. The figures I quote come from
the March 2002 document "Sexual Health and HIV Strategy Baseline
Review and Data for Somerset" compiled for Dr Jackie Spurrier
for Somerset Specialist Health Promotion Service.
2. The patient load has steadily increased
in recent years. The graphs show figures for 1995 to 2001. During
this period there has been no increase at all in clinical staff
in either of the clinics.
3. Waiting times for appointments. In 2001
in Taunton waiting times for appointments have varied between
three and 15 days with an average of 8.7 days over the year. In
Yeovil the average wait for an appointment is seven days. Both
these waiting times are better than those in the adjoining areas
in Bristol and Devon but are outside the national target for Genitourinary
Medicine.
4. Sexually transmitted infection work is
already being done extensively in general practice in this area,
as our last audit of Chlamydia testing showed that around 50%
of all Chlamydia tests were sent from general practice. We do
not believe that general practice has further excess capacity
to deal with STIs if a national publicity campaign is implemented
in the autumn.
5. Every effort has been made to accommodate
extra new patients in the GUM clinics, by means of nurse-led work,
home treatments, and use of telephone calls for follow-up and
result-giving. Our capacity to absorb extra work is now exhausted.
The action I propose is to increase the resources for staffing
in Genitourinary Medicine Clinics.
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