Echo gets huge support for Southend blood test campaign (From Southend Standard)

Dear Echo,

Could you tell us if our local tory MPs are doing their duty and representing their constituents' best interests by supporting this campaign and opposing this move. Or if they are simply toeing their party line and supporting this reduction in health services for a large part of south Essex.


Thank you.

Agreed Shoebury_cyclist. us residents need confirmation - can the echo find out - whether our councillors and MP's are collectively supporting keeping this service in Southend. Our Hospital is a University Hospital and as such should not be deprived of the routine blood tests. Lose this and I feel our Maternity and A & E facilities are not safe.We have an increased population since the 1990's and if we lose this battle it will leave this corner of Essex exposed. It is a dangerous journey for precious cargo.What about those patients who have not given permission for their medical records to go on computer ? How then will the results get back to Southend and the GPs?
They say there are "many notable service and clinical benefits arising from proposed changes in service" - so what else have they got planned.
The Echo should promote residents' attendance at the meeting at the Civic Centre which is discussing this signing by printing details of it.

This is only being backed by the Echo to sell newspapers.

There is no issues with the services going to Bedford.

Urgent blood tests will still be carried out locally.

There is no need to routine blood tests to be carried out locally. Centralising these makes a lot of sense.

This will safeguard money that can then be spent on local NHS services such as maternity and A&E - both of which are much needed in the local area as jollyboy correctly states.

I trust that our MP's will not fall for the same propaganda that some local resident have.

GentleGiant wrote:
This is only being backed by the Echo to sell newspapers.

There is no issues with the services going to Bedford.

Urgent blood tests will still be carried out locally.

There is no need to routine blood tests to be carried out locally. Centralising these makes a lot of sense.

This will safeguard money that can then be spent on local NHS services such as maternity and A&E - both of which are much needed in the local area as jollyboy correctly states.

I trust that our MP's will not fall for the same propaganda that some local resident have.

No matter how often you repeat your lies, GentleGiant, they won't become the truth.

How do you know if a blood test result is urgent until you analyse it?

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

GentleGiant wrote:
This is only being backed by the Echo to sell newspapers.

There is no issues with the services going to Bedford.

Urgent blood tests will still be carried out locally.

There is no need to routine blood tests to be carried out locally. Centralising these makes a lot of sense.

This will safeguard money that can then be spent on local NHS services such as maternity and A&E - both of which are much needed in the local area as jollyboy correctly states.

I trust that our MP's will not fall for the same propaganda that some local resident have.

No matter how often you repeat your lies, GentleGiant, they won't become the truth.

Facts cannot be lies.....

And that's the point that gentle giant misses isn't it.
No medical support for the abnormal bloods, no liaison with the patient's GP, no discussion of what should happen next -just up to A&E will it be???
Oh and I am told that if you do have to go to A&E then they won't be able to see the result as it is a completely different system to the one A&E and all the local GOs use. So I guess you will have to have another blood test (more cost, more waiting) before you cen get sorted.
Lunacy
Hang on though- I wonder if any MPs have financial interests in private healthcare providers????? Bet I can guess what the answer is.

Lesley wrote:
How do you know if a blood test result is urgent until you analyse it?

Probably decided by the GP or hospital.

But let us assume that neither suspected it was urgent until testing. The patient probably waited a couple of days for the GP appointment, then another couple of days for the blood test. Is another 3 or 4 hours going to make any difference? I doubt it in the vast majority of cases. If it really is urgent, then procedures will be in place for that scenario.

Who is to say that tests are processed any quicker locally anyway - established services tend to slow down overtime as they are only as good as the employees carrying out the task with equipment that is not always state of the art.

At Bedford you would have state of the art processing systems, which IMHO will speed up the processing time.

cgb wrote:
And that's the point that gentle giant misses isn't it.
No medical support for the abnormal bloods, no liaison with the patient's GP, no discussion of what should happen next -just up to A&E will it be???
Oh and I am told that if you do have to go to A&E then they won't be able to see the result as it is a completely different system to the one A&E and all the local GOs use. So I guess you will have to have another blood test (more cost, more waiting) before you cen get sorted.
Lunacy
Hang on though- I wonder if any MPs have financial interests in private healthcare providers????? Bet I can guess what the answer is.

Indeed they do:

http://img.photobuck
et.com/albums/v223/M
initar1/Politics/NHS
gov.jpg


And here's a list of all parliamentarians who stand to benefit from a privatised NHS:

http://socialinvesti
gations.blogspot.co.
uk/2012/07/over-60-m
ps-connected-to-comp
anies.html

GentleGiant wrote:

Lesley wrote:
How do you know if a blood test result is urgent until you analyse it?

Probably decided by the GP or hospital.

But let us assume that neither suspected it was urgent until testing. The patient probably waited a couple of days for the GP appointment, then another couple of days for the blood test. Is another 3 or 4 hours going to make any difference? I doubt it in the vast majority of cases. If it really is urgent, then procedures will be in place for that scenario.

Who is to say that tests are processed any quicker locally anyway - established services tend to slow down overtime as they are only as good as the employees carrying out the task with equipment that is not always state of the art.

At Bedford you would have state of the art processing systems, which IMHO will speed up the processing time.

What part of the time taken to get the blood samples to Bedford will put lives at risk, are you not getting? Are you being deliberately obtuse?

Are you so blinded by greed you cannot see that?

We already HAVE state of the art processing systems IN Southend. Where is the sense in sending samples over 80 miles, and paying a private contractor for the work? It will just be a drain on Southend's NHS resources.

If Essex CC gets their extra for the police i see no reason why we cannot pay a similar nominal amount each to keep our blood analysis here. - pence.
The review of the NHS by Lord Zarzi - after the Carter Report which started all this states

"Localise where possible - centralise where necessary "

IT AINT NECESSARY TO CENTRALISE.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
Dear Echo, Could you tell us if our local tory MPs are doing their duty and representing their constituents' best interests by supporting this campaign and opposing this move. Or if they are simply toeing their party line and supporting this reduction in health services for a large part of south Essex. Thank you.

Do not rely on the local rag to get an answer for you, contact the MP's yourself and tell them how you feel. If enough constituents make contact they will react. It is simply a numbers game. In the time it took you to type in your comments on this web site you could have sent an email to your MP.

Ian P wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
Dear Echo, Could you tell us if our local tory MPs are doing their duty and representing their constituents' best interests by supporting this campaign and opposing this move. Or if they are simply toeing their party line and supporting this reduction in health services for a large part of south Essex. Thank you.

Do not rely on the local rag to get an answer for you, contact the MP's yourself and tell them how you feel. If enough constituents make contact they will react. It is simply a numbers game. In the time it took you to type in your comments on this web site you could have sent an email to your MP.

I have, did it a couple of weeks ago through www.writetothem.com. Still waiting for a reply.
I think it is a matter of public interest to see that their MPs are representing them, and not putting their party ideology before their constituents best interests. That's why these MPs' views should be all over the local media.

If you write to your MP (as indeed I have) and include your name and address- if you are one of their constituents then they MUST answer you!!
Southend Hospital pathology department has state of the art equipment which is all recently bought- another reason why sending samples elsewhere is stupidity.