Health minister concedes to meet islanders 1/7/08
Scottish Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon is to visit a “neglected” hospital on Barra today (tues) after islanders raised serious concerns.
They pressed Ms Sturgeon to see the decaying five-bed St Brendan’s hospital for herself following damning reports.
However, those who invited her to Barra were surprisingly excluded from the long list of people she planned to meet. However, after press inquiries they were hastily added to the line-ups and, later this morning, can expect to be informed of their rendezvous with the minister.
St Brendan’s hospital in Castlebay does not even have its own direct telephone line and the nurse call system was broken for years said one survey.
A number of fire risks were highlighted; the mortuary was used for storage and having the laboratory in a cleaner’s room next to a dirty water cistern space increases the risk for airborne contamination highlighted an internal report.
In addition, the community’s complaints over the air ambulance service and the lack of a patient road ambulance will be pressed upon the health minister. She has been sent an advance dossier highlighting the problems and perceived failures of local health service delivery.
A document points out that when transporting expectant mums to a obstetric hospital “coastguard and military helicopters are required because the Scottish Air Ambulance helicopter cannot carry a woman in labour.”
Jessie Macneil of Voluntary Action Barra warned: “It is only a matter of time before a death occurs under the current ambulance and air ambulance set-up. We want the minister to include the air ambulance service into her review of single-manned ambulances.”
Other worries includes only having one GP and a part-time midwife on the island with lack of support.
Ms Sturgeon will receive examples of alleged inefficiencies, time wasting and delays when trying to obtain urgent transport for ill and injured patients.
The community had hoped Ms Sturgeon would attend a public meeting over their grievances.
Western Isles Health Board denied suggestions that it was hijacking the health minister visit and taking up all her time possibly to avoid conflict on controversial issues.
