Suffererof1crankymofo Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 (edited) Petition: https://www.change.org/p/nhs-shetland-demand-reversal-of-nhs-shetland-travel-policy?source_location=minibar Edited March 15, 2017 by Suffererof1crankymofo Frances144 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fionajohn Posted March 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 A lot of people travelling south for investigation or treatment are too sick to go on the ferry and this should not be forced on them. But equally patients who prefer the ferry should be allowed to use it. What will NHS Shetland say when someone dies from lack of a diagnosis/treatment because they would not go on the ferry?. Yes cutting costs where possible is good but is this really possible?.patients already have the choice of air/ferry but air was the preferred method can any-one say roughly what the price difference is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 A lot of people travelling south for investigation or treatment are too sick to go on the ferry and this should not be forced on them. But equally patients who prefer the ferry should be allowed to use it. What will NHS Shetland say when someone dies from lack of a diagnosis/treatment because they would not go on the ferry?. Yes cutting costs where possible is good but is this really possible?.patients already have the choice of air/ferry but air was the preferred method can any-one say roughly what the price difference is? The air fare is fixed as it is negotiated between NHS Scotland and Loganair. Given that the Scottish Government only let NHS Shetland know of the budget a few weeks ago, Loganair haven't had the chance to comment fully plus they haven't had the opportunity with full consultation. In other words, Loganair haven't been given the opportunity to re-negotiate yet! NHS Shetland reckons they consulted with the patients forum (what? you mean one exists?) and have not undertaken public consultation. NHS Shetland are scaremongering. Seriously, do you think A&E costs £1m a year or more than that? I think patients are being used as political pawns. Please sign and share the petition. To be discriminated against geographically is bad enough, to allow children to have the automatic right to fly but not the disabled unless you are unfortunate enough to have cancer is bad enough; hell, the whole thing is just WRONG. If they can't sort out the travel, then they should be looking at extending the facilities available here in Shetland. George. and Acid 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirvaluk Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 I have heard of several people that have been told to go to Aberdeen for a 5 minute consultation. This could have been done by phone or video link. Ian Kinniburgh suggests that nobody has the courage to tell the consultants in Aberdeen this. Acid and MrBump 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fionajohn Posted March 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 i go to aberdeen for scans only takes 10mins but scanner in shetland not accurate enough i'm sure plenty of people are in the same boat. i also have had phone consultations so they do happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acid Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 what's every-one thinking about nhs sending most patients by ferry?will it work out much cheaper?It'll be more expensive. We need better support and help within the NHS here as it is. Suffererof1crankymofo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symbister Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 I've had five follow-up consultant appointments at ARI in the past five years. It was really helpful and reassuring to see the consultant face-to-face the first time, but the other appointments really could have been done by video link or phone. They lasted a maximum of ten minutes. I think the use of a video link should be greatly expanded. (NHS Shetland only had to pay for one of the trips as I was on the mainland anyway for other reasons at all the other times) Negotiating a better price from Loganair should be the first step; but if necessary, they could put the air service out to tender. We might find that Eastern would be interested and Gamma Aviation (who run the air ambulance) might be another potential bidder. As for doing more in Shetland, having a couple more permanent consultants here to cover more specialisms would be a good thing and might produce significant savings when the fares are factored in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinner72 Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 I have heard of several people that have been told to go to Aberdeen for a 5 minute consultation. This could have been done by phone or video link. Ian Kinniburgh suggests that nobody has the courage to tell the consultants in Aberdeen this. I have had many consultations via video link, I assumed it was the norm and had been fir some time. There are dedicated rooms in the GBH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 From NHS report at the meeting:-The cost on the ferry for an individual varies from a minimum £150 per return journey in low season to £225 per return journey in high season where a two berth standard cabin is available to a maximum of £238 per return journey in low season to £335 per return journey in high season where only Executive Cabins are available.The current flexible NHS ticket used for air travel is currently £362 for a return flight.Therefore the potential saving per return patient journey varies from £27 to £212.Since an escort normally shares a cabin with the patient for patients with an escort, the saving ranges from £304 in high season to £324 in low season.Based on assumptions set out above (20% of journeys continuing by air) this would reduce the cost of travel by up to £1m.NB: the medical exemption rate would have to reach 80% travel by air for this option to cost more than option 2)------It is worth remembering that the boat has 117 cabins yet during 2015-2016, if I'm understanding a table correctly (and to be honest, I'm not sure!), there were over 5,000 patients treated including daycare, in-patients and outpatients by NHS Grampian.The current contract with the Red Cross comes to an end in September 2017. They CANNOT put measures in place until July 2017 yet NHS Shetland states the new scheme comes into effect on 1 April 2017 but don't worry, they expect holders of a certain type of bus card to hop on public transport in the meantime.The fares are negotiated by NHS NSS, not by NHS Shetland.Also, they are proposing that if a lone parent doesn't have a support network they could take their child with them to hospital. I'm sure if the child is at school their head teacher will be delighted at such unauthorised absence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audi-ya-do Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 Loosing £10 off your travel to hospital when there is no choice but to go to Aberdeen. When boat is night on night off, for refit, you have to have accommodation in Aberdeen for a night. Sounds like another tax on Shetland. Wonder if it's the same in the western isles? If the Western Isles faced these problems bet Nicola would be all over it. I feel the SNP just don't like us, and won't defend us, because we vote, regularly, for Lib-Dems. On the human side some people just can't face sailing or it makes them very ill, even in good weather. Some peoples situations preclude having three to four days off work during refit or delays/cancellations, whether due to family commitments (single parents spring to mind), work or other reasons.All travel arrangements should be based on a full review of each individuals specific situation, NOT on whether NHS Shetland can save a couple of pence on travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelsup Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 You might well be right. We are a pain in the neck for them and ungrateful with it. If they cut our services - education - health etc it might encourage people to move to the cities.modern Clearances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 Did you know there is no way to get an ambulance stretcher up to the boat? Both lifts at both terminals are too small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 Loosing £10 off your travel to hospital when there is no choice but to go to Aberdeen. When boat is night on night off, for refit, you have to have accommodation in Aberdeen for a night. Sounds like another tax on Shetland. Wonder if it's the same in the western isles? If the Western Isles faced these problems bet Nicola would be all over it. I feel the SNP just don't like us, and won't defend us, because we vote, regularly, for Lib-Dems. On the human side some people just can't face sailing or it makes them very ill, even in good weather. Some peoples situations preclude having three to four days off work during refit or delays/cancellations, whether due to family commitments (single parents spring to mind), work or other reasons.All travel arrangements should be based on a full review of each individuals specific situation, NOT on whether NHS Shetland can save a couple of pence on travel. If I remember the wording of HITS correctly, the first £10 (it might even be worded £9) was for those on a low income. I think NHS Shetland decided to 'interpret'/implement it as a flat £10 off all patient travel claims to save on administration. It's not straightforward to figure it out and takes a while to find your way around the various websites and see the various amendments but no doubt a Freedom of Information Act Request will sort some of that out. Not long after, I think it was also reported in the press about somebody forging taxi receipts or claiming for journeys that hadn't taken place; I think the crux was that no checks were in place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 Did you know there is no way to get an ambulance stretcher up to the boat? Both lifts at both terminals are too small.Do they not send a double ambulance crew and carry up the stairs? It's still shocking, mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirvaluk Posted March 17, 2017 Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 What's stretchers got do do with it? People that are that ill will fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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