Members of the public are being urged to have their say on health matters when a health board holds it annual general meeting.
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board will hold the meeting on Wednesday September 16 at St Cados’ Hospital, in Caerleon, between 5pm and 7pm.
For more information call 01633 436700.
Why have a meeting? I can simply relay the information for everyone. It will go like this:
Public: I am concerned about… I believe… I would like to see… I do not like…. My experience is…
Health Board: We understand what you are saying. Your opinion is important. We are serving your interests. We are disappointed that you feel that way. We will make changes based on your opinions.
After five years of no change the health board says “after the success of the last meeting we are holding another one to…”
That’s about it; I have met with representatives of this Health Board and found they were not really interested in hearing views that contradicted their own.
There are many issues of questionable Governance in respect to this Health board. This is a synical attempt to draw the public into thinking they can have any say in influencing the operation of this organisation, and, if senior staff or The Chairman and Board members think this will win them browny points they are deluded.
Thank god the public rely on CLINICIANS for their Health care in Gwent and not quasi political sycophants.
One real problem is the way this mangement board manipulate Cancer Diagnosis referral lists, re-classifying URGENT cases referred by GP`s , for which Patients must wait no longer than 62 days for a Consultants Diagnosis of Cancer, to, a much longer NON URGENT CASES LIST, where patients can expect to wait up to eight months for a Cancer Diagnosis, this process is done without any consultation with the patient, and patients are not being informed that even though their own Doctor has considered each referral as being urgent for diagnosis, some faceless staff member in the offices of the Health Board changes and alters the GP`s opinion and serious suspicion, that the patient is suffering from cancer, and without even seeing the patient.
This is done so that the Healh Board are able to maintain URGENT CASES REFERRAL LISTS at managable numbers in order to meet the Welsh Assembly`s 62 day Cancer Diagnosis Pathway. And so that both the ABHB and the Welsh Assembly can proudly announce that ALL URGENT CASES REFERRED FOR CANCER DIAGNOSIS ARE BEING SEEN BY A CONSULTANT WITHIN THE WELSH ASSEMBLY ESTABLISHED PATHWAY LIMITS OF 62 DAYS.
This process, followed by the ABHB is Dangerous, is Dishonest, and totally ignores the fact that the Health Service provided in Gwent, like everywhere else, should be `Patient Centered`.
By the Nature of Cancer all evidence shows that the sooner it is diagnosed the better the chance of survival, the sooner Cancer is Diagnosed the less intrusive the treatment, and the sooner it is diagnosed and a treatment pathway is started the more patients and families can cope with the diagnosis in the knowledge that statistics show they may be cured.
The ABHB, and the Welsh Assembly have some answers to give to all those people AND THEIR FAMILIES who are diagnosed with cancer FROM THE LONGER NON URGENT LIST,AFTER BEING FORCED TO WAIT SIX MONTHS LONGER BY THIS DISHONEST MANIPULATION OF WAITING LISTS, SIMPLY SO THAT THE ABHB ARE ALBE TO SAY THEY ARE MEETING WELSH ASSEMBLY PROTOCOLS
The ABHB have confirmed the above process takes place, but, I have to make the point that I am making NO critisism of ANY Doctors Nurses or Medical Staff in respect to this serious situation which potentially touches all families in Gwent, at least.
Absolute farce! The hospital for the last decade as operated a “like it or lump it” system.