onlineFOCUS – News and Stuff For Rochford District since 2003

We’ve stumbled upon a blog called Trying My Patients . It’s written by someone called Ella , who works in the Ambulance Service “somewhere between Land’s End and John o’Groats”. It is very readable. Here’s an example:

12 year old male, rash on body
….We pulled up outside the house to be greeted by ‘that frantic wave’. You know, the wave I have mentioned before that tells you something isn’t right and you really need to get a wiggle on. I followed the mum through the front door straight in the lounge. The boy was just wearing his underwear which enabled me to see most of his skin. Every part of him was bright red and covered in the worst hives I have ever seen. His face was swollen and he was in untold discomfort. He stood up and rushed to the toilet. It turns out he also had uncontrollable diarrhoea. Although his tongue wasn’t swollen and he denied struggling to breathe I felt his condition was bad enough to treat for anaphylaxis and after a brief conversation with our Clinical Support Desk they agreed.
_
Once I’d decided what we were going to do, I then had to do it and this is where the second guessing begun! It is very rare to have to cannulate a child and if we had been 5 minutes from hospital we’d have just run but the fact it was longer and the fact his rash was getting worse by the second I wanted to try for a vein before they all completely vanished…

She also has some very blunt advice for motorists, cyclists, relatives, GPs…. Here’s some of her advice for care homes:

It’s horrible to see the elderly who have spent a lifetime serving the country and paying taxes left in squalor because the care staff don’t give a crap. Invariably there are two sides to every care home. The side that the relatives see during visiting hours and the graveyard shift. During the day, patients are paraded in social areas, full of Amitriptyline and polite, English speaking nurses tend to their needs in full view of anyone who pops by. At shift change they are replaced by a bunch of miserable mis-fits who don’t care one iota about the people they are supposed to be looking after. OK, I’m generalising massively and tarring the good ones with a bad brush but in all honesty the good homes rarely call us so I we don’t see them. They care for their patients as they should and as a result their patients rarely go to hospital. When they do, they are clean, we get a handover, a full history with matching paperwork, an escort and a smile. Sadly we are more likely to get a seriously ill patient, be greeted with a grunt, no handover, no paperwork, no history and no escort. Our patient is likely to have soiled themselves and been left to suffer. These are the homes I want to Take Note. These are the ones that need investigating.

Don’t leave your patient lying in their own faeces.
Don’t tell us they were fine an hour ago when they’ve been dead for 6.
Don’t put your patient to bed after they have gone into cardiac arrest.
Don’t negate to start CPR because “We are short staffed”
Don’t negate to start CPR because “I forgot”
Don’t call yourself a ‘care home’ if you’re not going to care
Don’t put coded doors on every corridor and look annoyed when we knock.
Don’t call 999 just because your patient fell over. Check them first.
Don’t allow a catheter bag to fill to bursting point.
Don’t allow a colostomy bag to fill to bursting point.
Don’t put tea in the mouth of someone who is dead to cover your arse.
Don’t call yourself a ‘care home’ if you’re not going to care
Don’t wait until your patient is septic before calling us.
Don’t leave your patient uncleaned for days on end. We can tell. We can smell.
Don’t look at me blankly when I ask what room we need to go to.
Don’t look at me blankly when I ask what is wrong with the patient.
Don’t look at me blankly when I ask for a medical history.
Don’t call yourself a ‘care home’ if you’re not going to care

Let’s hope the care homes in our area are all better than the ones Ella describes.

April 28th, 2013 | Category: Health and Care, Web Stuff | Leave a comment

Good news today – as the Echo reports:

BLOOD testing is to stay local in south Essex after a long fought campaign.

Congrats to the Echo for their efforts on this, also to former Rayleigh Councillor John Gibson for his campaigning, and to Castle Point Borough Council for passing a motion opposing this.

But no credit to Rochford District Council – who refused to take a view! When pressed on this by Chris Black at the last full council, Tory leader Terry Cutmore responded:

Responding to a question on the proposed move of GP blood testing facilities from Basildon and Southend to Bedford, the Leader advised that the Council’s position had not changed since this question was raised at the last scheduled Council meeting. While it was clearly vital the residents continued to have access to the correct blood tests in a timely manner, it was also the case that all public bodies had to make savings. The decision on the future of blood testing was one that would be made by the Clinical Commissioning Groups who were better placed to take an informed decision.

March 19th, 2013 | Category: Health and Care | Comments (1)

There are more people in our communities nowadays with dementia. It’s a very important issue. The latest figures published by the Alzheimer’s Society suggest that 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 and 1 in 6 people over 80 years has some form of dementia. Of those people over 65 who have dementia (late onset dementia) 55.4% have mild dementia 32.1% have moderate dementia and 12.5% have severe dementia.

The County Council are having a series of Dementia Roadshows at the moment:

“Although there is currently no cure for dementia, with treatment and support, people who have the condition are able to lead active, fulfilling lives … To find out more about techniques which may delay the onset of dementia, visit us at our roadshows”

The nearest roadshow is on 7 March at the Eastgate Shopping Centre, Basildon . (It’s a pity they are not coming to Rochford or Castle Point).

“The roadshows consist of a memory bank, where members of the public can write down a treasured memory, as well as brain training games. Dementia experts will be on hand to provide help and guidance. You can also learn how particular activities including individual learning, group learning and physical activity may help delay the onset of dementia.”

There is a also a dementia strategy for Essex -you can download it here. As an example , it includes the following targets (click to enlarge):

March 2nd, 2013 | Category: Basildon, Dementia, Essex & East, Health and Care | Leave a comment

There’s quite a bit of stuff to write tomorrow, including items on Council Tax and FixMyStreet. But for tonight here’s two brand new short videos.

This is one on nature conservation featuring David Attenborough that a friend sent to Chris Black:

And one from a Rayleigh Yoga teacher promoting her classes: (Hat-tip to the Rayleigh Essex facebook page for this one)

February 21st, 2013 | Category: Flora And Fauna, Health and Care, Leisure and Sport, YouTube and Video | Leave a comment

The Echo reports:

DOZENS of doctors have followed the lead of their hospital colleagues and published an open letter against changes to pathology services.
_
Ninety South Essex GPs have signed a letter to be sent to each of the four local Clinical Commissioning Groups and the Department for Health against the move of pathology services to Bedford.
_
The GPs write in support of the 119 Southend Hospital consultants who wrote to the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt last week and ask for a pause in the process for more consultation…

The full article is here.

It’s about time we had a proper discussion on this at the District Council.

February 9th, 2013 | Category: Health and Care | Leave a comment

Chris Black raised the blood testing issue at Full Council tonight, and a little bit of discussion followed. Tory Leader Terry Cutmore said that “We’ve all got to save money” but added “I want to make sure that urgent cases are dealt with urgently, which I believe will still be the case…. People’s lives are important”

In the meantime the Echo are still running an online poll here At the moment 97% are saying that blood testing should stay local.

December 18th, 2012 | Category: Health and Care | Comments (4)

The Echo has launched a campaign to keep blood testing services local:

THE ECHO is today launching a campaign to keep blood testing services in south Essex.
There has been huge reaction to the news that the analysis of GP requested blood samples is moving 88miles away to Bedford.
Patients and doctors and even a hospital consultant are shocked and angered by the move.
They believe that the service currently at Basildon and Southend hospitals is doing well with results back sometimes as quickly as one hour.
The new journey involves taking hundreds of blood samples to Harlow then on to Bedford via the heavily congested M25.
The response for results to GPs is likely to be days instead of hours. Health bosses at the East of England SHA claim ‘pathology proposals will result in world class services across the East of England’ – clearly the public disagrees.
To this end the Echo is launching an e-petition and campaign to get the health authority NHS Midlands and East of England to change its mind before contracts are signed…..

It is likely that this will get raised at tomorrow night’s Full Council meeting.

December 17th, 2012 | Category: Health and Care | Comments (1)

Find out more here.

December 1st, 2012 | Category: Health and Care, YouTube and Video | Leave a comment

An application to replace a car showroom at 247 London Road Rayleigh with a care home is being recommended for refusal by officers. The reasons are basically the impact on neighbours and inadequate parking. The application comes to the Development Committee next Thursday.

You can find the full officers report from this page , but here are some extracts:

1.1 The proposal is to demolish the existing commercial garage and work shop buildings on the site and construct a two storey building providing a 50- bedroom care home…..

Rayleigh Town Council object due to the over-development of the site, insufficient parking and inappropriate location for residents due to the location of the main road.

Essex County Council Highways: Object for the following reason:
The proposal does not provide sufficient parking within the site for the proposed development. The lack of parking may well lead to vehicles being displaced onto the highway to the detriment of other road users and general highway safety.

Neighbour Representations 25 letters have been received…
In the main, these representations make the following comments and objections:-
o 50-Bed care home with only 11 car parking spaces beggars belief and woefully inadequate for the number of staff, visitors and services to attend.
o Multi-storey building is not in keeping with surrounding properties, which are mostly bungalows
o Louis Drive estate already used as an overflow car park for events held at the Rayleigh sports centre in London Road, for visitors to Gunn Close, coach trippers and a short distance from the re-development of the E-on
site for 103 homes. The roads on the estate are narrow and excess parking causes problems with access for emergency vehicles, refuse lorries and residents.
o Traffic to a number of schools in the area and general traffic and congestion in the area.
o London Road also used as an alternative when the A127 is blocked.
o Will generate unacceptable traffic, parking and noise issues from staff and visitors associated with the development and other developments on London Road as well as 24 hour working, deliveries and servicing such as cooking smells. The existing garage shuts at 5.30.
o Noise and disturbance through the night.
o Access onto a busy junction opposite a petrol filling station
o Builders just buy the land, make their money and it is us who have to suffer with the road full of traffic, speeding cars late at night and lack of pedestrian crossings.
o Overcrowded schools and doctors.
o Application seems to be an annual event causing undue stress and worry
o Previously dismissed on appeal. Understood the applicants would not be allowed to make another application for the same type of building.
o Nightmare of proposed new developments in the area will detract from the peace and quiet of the area we thought we would enjoy.
o Why not build two or three bungalows that would be in keeping with Louis Drive West and more considerate to local residents.
o Application fundamentally the same as the previous application that was rejected.
o The rooms would be too small.
o Nothing for the residents to look at from the outside sitting space.
o Original deeds to No. 131 Louis Drive West say that no bungalows may be used for commercial use.
o 50-bed care home is massively out of proportion to the neighbourhood.
o Building far too big for the site and totally out of character with existing bungalows and semi-detached houses.
o Overlooking other gardens
o Over-development of small, narrow, prominent corner plot and too near the residents in bungalows. Will be domineering, bulky, overpowering, out of scale and will adversely impact Nos. 1. 3. 5 and 7 Little Wheatley Chase and impact upon the use of gardens to these properties.
o Loss of privacy from upper floor bedrooms proposed to houses and gardens of Nos. 1. 3. 5 and 7 Little Wheatley Chase. The design guide requires a minimum separation of 25m between rear facing habitable rooms, with a separation of 35m with flats. The proposal does not comply with this. As only a separation of 7m will result.
o Loss of light to Nos. 1 and 3 Little Wheatley Chase from the close proximity of the building proposed to the site boundary.
o Street parking problems when there is a school function or event at Rayleigh Social Club.
o 13 flats should be the maximum
o Future of No. 131 Louis Drive West seems rather vague. Shows a treatment room and only pedestrian access, which suggests people will be brought into the building during the rain or poor weather.
o Only small store room shown.
o Concern for 50 unwell people closed in a home completely surrounded by busy roads and a garage across the road and nowhere to be taken for fresh air
o Cannot see how the refuse vehicle will be able to manoeuvre into the site given narrow nature of the street. Are we to experience the same problems as we have with the new Tesco with large vehicles al over the main road?
o Idea that staff will use bus service is pie in the sky as the service is poor and care workers work unsocial hours when service not available.
o Scheme has changed little from that previously refused apart from re-siting the kitchen, a reduction in parking spaces and moving the waste bins to another part of the site.
o Require the hedge with No. 1 Little Wheatley Chase to be retained if the plans are approved.
o The increase in refuse that the development will generate will contribute to an already huge rat problem that occurs in this part of Rayleigh.
o Size, bulk, scale and proximity of the proposed building will devalue the adjoining property, which is unfair and unjust.
o Will destroy the rural look of the area, which is loved.
o Would have no enhancement value to people entering Rayleigh at all, rather than a gateway would look built up and closed in.

Council Officers are recommending refusal:

RECOMMENDATION
It is proposed that the Committee resolves to REFUSE planning permission for the following reasons:-
1) The proposal, by way of the significant depth of the building proposed on the western side, would by way of the form, height and close proximity to the boundary and the rear walls of the adjoining dwellings nos. 1-7 Little Wheatley Chase prove over dominant, resulting in a poor relationship to those adjoining dwellings contrary to part (ix) to Policy HP6 to the Rochford District Replacement Local Plan (2006) as saved by Direction of the Secretary of State dated 5 June 2009 under paragraph 1(3) of schedule 8 to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. If allowed, the proposed building would result in a building proving detrimental to the amenity occupiers of those adjoining dwellings ought reasonably expect to enjoy.
2) The proposal does not provide sufficient parking within the site for the proposed development. The lack of parking may well lead to vehicles being displaced onto the highway to the detriment of other road users and general highway safety contrary to the Council’s requirements as set out in Parking Standards: Design and Good Practice Supplementary Planning Document adopted December 2010.

August 26th, 2012 | Category: Health and Care, Planning Applications, Rayleigh | Leave a comment

There’s a new planning application just in at the Dome Caravan Park:

Application number: 12/00408/FUL
Parish: Hullbridge Parish Council
Ward: Hullbridge
Proposal: Construct Single Storey Pitched Roofed Building To Re-Locate Site Doctors Surgery
Location: Dome Caravan Park Lower Road Hockley

Applicant:
Mr Craig Gibbard – South West Essex PCT
1B Phoenix Court
Christopher Martin Road
Basildon
Essex
SS14 3HG

August 18th, 2012 | Category: Health and Care, Hullbridge | Leave a comment

A worrying article by Chloe Chapman at the Echo:

A BACKLOG of eye appointments at Southend Hospital is forcing some patients to wait up to six months for vital check-ups.
Patients normally wait three months for appointments, but that has now doubled for some people as staff prioritise cases….

….. A hospital spokesman said: “Recruiting permanent doctors takes some time, which has led to some routine appointments being later than we would wish.
“However, we have been working hard to ensure all appointments with an urgent clinical need are not affected.”

Full report here.

July 7th, 2012 | Category: Health and Care | Leave a comment