It seems that the powers that be have decided that it is no longer necessary to hold a clinic for taking blood at Dover Health Centre, despite the fact that this twice a week service is well used. Actually, necessary is probably not the right word - financial viable is more like it.
So those of us that could get there quite easily (in my case by scooter) will, from July, have to hike up to Buckland Hospital. This will mean a taxi for me, as I can't walk far without pain. An expense I could do without.
I know that the Maison Dieu site is not well regarded for a hospital, but it would be central. Not everyone in Dover has a car, nor do we all live in Whitfield.
We need facilities in Dover. Two weeks ago I had a horrendous experience when I had to go to Dialysis talks at Kent & Canterbury. The transport came 35 minutes early, when I had just washed my hair, and had my insulin but no breakfast and no drink. The appointment was for 10:30 to 12:30 in the Board Room (which is outside the main hospital), but I was "down for" 9:30 in Clinic B. Consequently having been delivered (via Folkestone, where the other person was not ready either) at 5 past 9 I had to wait in a draughty corridor until the doors opened at 10:20, and the meeting over at 12:30 I again had to wait in the corridor until the transport came back for me at 13:40. To add insult to injury the Board room was not heated, in fact it was blowing cold air through the central heating vents. That two hour appointment took nearly 6 1/2 hours, during which I was freezing the whole time (forgot to add did not even have time to put my socks on!)
Don't get me wrong, everyone was very kind, from the ambulance personnel to the nurses at K & C, but take it from me, you don't need this sort of thing when faced with the trauma of starting dialysis.
All this could be avoided if we had decent facilities in Dover, and if the transport people got their facts right. I still don't know how they could have got it so wrong.
Sorry to bore you all, but I needed to get it off my chest.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Well it is a great shame that we keep losing facilities Diana and it is more especially painful for those who need it on a regular basis. Oddly enough I was at the doctor the other day, fortunately I havent needed one in a long time, but I now have to go for a blood test and he suggested this very clinic you mention. I guess that ones ruled out then.
The facilities situation is getting more and more bizarre. On one hand we are told Buckland is closing, yet we still have something of a service there, then on the other hand we are told Buckland is to be reborn, but with no parking and no access when the bridge gets clobbered. It clearly is a very poor hand to mouth situation for the people of Dover.
The hospital initiative talked about recently appears to be in total limbo as once again nobody can agree on anything around here.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Well highlighted Diana and PaulB the problems that Dover and Districts are suffering with regard to medical care that's available or in most cases ,not available, in Dover.
Just what is happening?
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Nothing Marek. Like anything that might be to the benefit of Dover and it's inhabitants, nothing (except £1m horsey bridges). Can't even get the holes in the road filled!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
funnily enough i can give the other side of the story.
just got back from my doctors surgery, had 4 lots of blood taken, an ecg(first one ever), all done by a charming nurse and i was in and out in 30 minutes.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Having recently used the services of a Doctor for treatment to my leg the following charges apply over here in occupied Jersey
Visit to Surgery £35.00 (no-one misses an appointment as you still have to cough up)
Home Visit by GP Mon-Fri £70.00 Sat&Sun £115 (extra if late evening or a BH)
Re-prescription note from Doctor £3 per item
Blood Test charges vary but £35-60 is the norm
No real reason for posting this other than to let forumites know how other Health Services operate.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Sorry, can't resist a smut opportunity:
Howard said, "i was in and out in 30 minutes". Ahh, the wonders of viagra!
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
I had my blood test this morning, in and out of my local surgery in 20 mins, but going back to Diana`s original posting, it is a pain in the butt when certain faceless people are constantly swapping, and altering thing`s about, possibly to justify their existance as in this case. It happen`s in transport and everything else, and you don`t need me to tell you that. Not boring at all Diana, (and I should know with some of my posting`s)
.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,036
Diana,
I was sorry to hear about your horrendous experience last week. I attended the Health Centre for a blood test last Thursday and the nurse told me that it may be closing down soon. She said it was to do with funding, apparently all the surgeries locally contribute to it but some of them want to pull out and the rest don't want to subsidise it.(I may have that wrong but it is along those lines) I have only been twice and it was full on both occasions so it is needed.
With regard to Canterbury hospital I have two appointments there this week, tomorrow and Friday. I don't drive but I am lucky in that I have a grand daughter who is taking me. I have been up there a lot recently and I went by bus several times but it is a long old slog as I am on a crutch.
I have had excellent treatment at Canterbury and cannot fault it but if you haven't got transport it is tough. As you say, the sooner we get our Clinic/Hospital in Dover the better.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I can appreciate all that you have said Diana; hospital transport is worse than a joke, it is dangerous for the patients and puts them under greater stress than their illness, most times.
Forgive me asking, but if you have an electric mobility scooter, could/would you not use that to go to Buckland for a blood-test instead of a taxi ? most of them have a range of 30 + miles.
You can't do that for Canterbury though obviously, but they do (currently) have 14 or so Haemodialysis workstations at Buckland. They used to have a Consultant visit Buckland once a week I think it was and that was very very useful, saved us time and money (and stress) going to K & C.
Will you be doing haemodialysis or peritoneal ? Jean (my other half) does peritoneal and we/she finds that it gives her/us, a lot more freedom and she feels so much better than when she was on Haemo - she had a transplant that failed and was in Guys for over 6 months back in 2004, so had to do Haemo whilst there, but went back to Peritoneal when allowed home.
Good Luck Diana.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
sorry alec, will have to disagree with you about the establishment you mentioned.
spent over 2o hours there since yesterday afternoon, had to do a runner in the end.
good post from roger on this one, personal experience of what goes on is worth a lot more than reading text books.
diana will appreciate that.
Alec Sheldon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,036
Which establishment is that then Howard, the Health Centre or Canterbury hospital.?
Was that twenty hours that you spent there,? if so you must be talking about Canterbury then.
I attended Canterbury hospital today and was seen before my time, I had some positive news about my condition and came out quite elated, I go back in six months time for a further check up.
I have to go back on Friday for an MRI scan to sort out my sciatica and hip problems then maybe I will be able to throw away my crutch.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
alec
it was k and c, i was sprung by an accomplice, she had a great getaway car once we were over the wall.
not a word to anyone though.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard,live long and prosper.
Thank you all for your support. Roger: it is haemodialysis as I have too many other problems to make peritoneal an option. I understand that I shall probably start at K & C but later move to Dover if vacancy occurs. I do have a mobility scooter, but it is a small one (it can be folded up) because living on the top floor of The Gateway I cannot charge a scooter unless the batteries can be removed. This limits the range as although the scooter is small and light, I am not!!! I can just about get to Peter St Surgery and back with a sidetrack to De Bradelei before I run out of steam.
I cannot fault the staff at K & C (in the last 2-3 years I have spent far too much time there) people have been unfailingly kind and supportive (thanks Hannah!). I t is very true that when you are ill (and tho' not falling down ill I sure don't feel great) the very last thing you need is hassle with transport. I understand that I am not alone and that other people have to be considered. I do not mind waiting. What I mind is A) being given the wrong information about when to be ready and thus ill prepared for the whole day, and B) the information I gave being passed on incorrectly.
I dunno - let's dam the Dour or something - anything! Just let's get the Dover hospital issue sorted out. PLEASE.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it is sorted out diana, vic announced on here that buckland hospital is being upgraded.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Thanks Diana - I appreciate all that you have said, including the problems with the batteries on the scooter.
Forgive me if you've already gone down this road Diana, but if you are on the higher rate of mobility allowance, wouldn't/aren't you be eligible for a mobility allowance that would allow you to buy a bigger (better range) mobility scooter ?
Was that dam the Dour or damn the Dour ? It and the floodlplain have certainly complicated things in Dover.
The flooding and underground water there are being looked into, but not today or tomorrow; it's a pity that a rocket couldn't be put up the back-sides of Southern Water, the Environment Agency and KCC to bring their schedule of works forward; with so much depending on it, it's a crime against the people of Dover.
The PCT/EKHT are doing to us what Vic is accusing DDC of doing with the play area money - we can't decide on a play area/hospital location, so they'll withdraw the money and use it somewhere else.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i thought all the money was being pumped into buckland over the long term?
that is how i read the statement from the health authority.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Now (apparantly) Howard, they have plumped for Buckland, a far from ideal site; maybe it allows for more boxes to be ticked (I wonder which ones they are), but the dynamics of access are very poor.
Roger
I would be interested to scrutinise the evidence for the locations viability. If our location is on System1 (for the NHS) one could simply review clinics used, percentage of local postcodes referred, volume of traffic etc and create a meaningful flowchart and project plan. No doubt it has already been done, but the outcomes will be impacted on by the skills of the people inputting the data. There - I think that's enough project-management-speak to justify my existence for a while longer!!
