APPENDIX 19
Memorandum by Dr B P Goorney (SH 31)
I wish to submit evidence indicative of poor
commissioning and clarity over the development of the Genitourinary
Medicine service in Salford from a part-time clinic to full-time
consultant led service.(I am currently single handed and have
clinics at other sites in Manchester). Overall the delay and low
priority afforded this hard pressed service has resulted in an
undeveloped and overstretched local GU service dealing with increasing
demand of core sexually transmitted diseases.
Paragraph 1
In August 2001 a bid for Consultant expansion
for Salford and neighbouring Trafford GUM clinics was documented
by the commissioning body at the time Salford and Trafford Health
Authority. The monies amounted to £110,000 to include support
staff in addition to 1.0 whole time Consultant in Genitourinary
Medicine.
This bid was accepted as a result of a strong
business case submitted by myself and colleague in neighbouring
trusts over two years ago.
It was based on the increasing clinical demand
on our services in Salford, unacceptable waiting times, (currently
four weeks) and catchment population served (240,000), in addition
to pressures of influx of asylum seekers, large university student
population, and Manchester Syphilis outbreak.
Paragraph 2
Several meetings with Hospital senior and middle
management confirmed their interest in this post following confirmation
of the monies in 2001as a result of our bid.
However now almost a year later, we seem to
be still no further forward in developing this post, and in the
meantime we have been transferred to inferior clinic premises
within the hospital from previous purpose built facilities.
The excuses given for this unacceptable delay
is due to the devolvement from a single health authority to three
separate Primary Care trusts representing commissioners for both
Salford and neighbouring Trafford. Another reason given is the
implications of the National Strategy for Sexual Health and the
need to redesign the delivery of our services.
Paragraph 3
I feel all this protracted process to implement
a full time Consultant led service, has adversely affected and
undermined our ability to provide a quality sexual health service
to meet the rising demand of sexually transmitted diseases.
It would appear that with the current organisational
change in the NHS my specialty is increasingly seen by commissioners
as low priority, with no sense of urgency.
At the last correspondence I had with the hospital
trust general manager for medical services he states "It
is an utter disgrace that this matter has still not been resolved".
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