11:00am Saturday 20th March 2010
By Laura Kitching
HEALTH campaigners have welcomed plans to tackle waiting times at pain clinics following a public meeting.
Dozens of people turned out for a special open meeting to have their say with NHS Dorset health bosses.
The inaugural Health Question Time event was hailed a ‘great success’ by organisers, who now intend to hold similar sessions throughout the county.
Residents from Weymouth, Portland and the Dorchester area attended the Health Network Event which featured NHS Dorset chairman Jacqueline Swift, director of public health Dr David Phillips, partnership manager Chris Ricketts and non-executive director Graham Avis.
Chief executive of NHS Dorset Paul Sly presented the NHS Dorset Health Strategy for 2010-2014 at the open meeting, which was held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.
During question time, Colin Smith, 63, of Westham, asked what was being done to ‘plug the gap’ in pain clinic resources.
He said 85 per cent of pain clinic resources were being used to meet targets to see new patients within 18 weeks – leaving only 15 per cent for repeat patients.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Smith said: “They said they’re going to try and train up GPs and free up operating theatre time to fill the gap in resources.
“The plans sound good but the real proof is when patients get their injections.”
Patient Governor Michel Hooper-Immins said it was a ‘useful’ and much needed meeting.
He added: “Some of the answers have been waffle in my opinion but some quite useful.
“It was something that needed doing and there was a good turn-out.”
Resident Sylvia O’Conner, 70, of Westham, Weymouth said: “It was very good indeed – informative, knowledgeable and interesting.
Andrew Court, service leader for the borough’s Rethink mental health group, said: “It’s a hard job for the board to sit and face a crowd because everyone’s got personal issues.
“If they’re going to do this more, they need it to be out-of-hours as well.
“I wouldn’t have been able to come if I hadn’t been paid to by work.”
Residents also voted, using remote controls, on how they would like to be informed in the future with top choices including more public meetings and information through the local newspaper to take this out to other localities.”
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