Caithness CWS - Front Page Bulletins - September 2004

TALKS ON OUT OF HOURS PROGRESSING
NHS Highland has announced details of progress on its discussions with local communities and GPs about plans to provide an alternative service when GPs take up their option of opting out of providing services outside surgery opening hours.

Dr Iain Scott, Clinical Director of the South East Highland Community Health Partnership, suggested though that there was still some way to go.

�These revised proposals reflect the discussions NHS Highland officials have been having over the last few months with local communities and with GPs. These are continuing, as there is still a lot of detail to be worked out yet at local level. They have moved a long way from the original proposals, as a result of these discussions, especially in Badenoch and Strathspey and in East and Central Sutherland. �

�We have to be able to deliver the service and, in some areas, we believe that there may be a shortfall of local doctors to work in the new service. We have therefore been advertising for new salaried doctors to work in the new service. There has been a good response so far and interviews will be held shortly.�

�This is not about saving money. The original proposals were going to cost an additional �4 million. Each of the three Community Health Partnerships (CHP) in Highland have assessed the revised proposals as being affordable within the overall CHP funds.�

He added that there was still time for the public to comment on the new proposals:
�Whilst the formal consultation period has now come to an end, individuals and groups are being offered a further opportunity to feed back any comments they might have on these revised proposals to NHS Highland, by 24th September, 2004 so that they can be considered at the NHS Highland Board meeting in October.�

Comments on the proposals should be sent to: NHS Highland, Out of Hours Consultation, Assynt House, Beechwood Park, Inverness, IV2 3HG or by email to [email protected]

The new service is anticipated to commence from 1 December 2004

All the proposals will require the approval of the Board of NHS Highland at its meeting on 5th October 2004.

NHS Boards have the option, subject to national regulations and appeal mechanisms, to refuse to allow GP Practices to opt out of Out Of Hours services if they do not feel there are safe alternative arrangements in place.

The details of the proposals in each area are as follows:

AREA	GP PRACTICES INVOLVED	PRACTICES NOT OPTING OUT (Therefore no change to medical cover)	TREATMENT CENTRES	COVER ARRANGEMENTS
CAITHNESS	Thurso x2 Canisbay Castletown Lybster Wick x2	Dunbeath	� Dunbar Hospital, Thurso � Caithness General Hospital (CGH) Wick	Working towards 1 GP being on shift evenings, weekends, and after midnight. Patients attend either Dunbar or CGH. Patient and doctor transport to be provided.
CENTRAL AND EAST SUTHERLAND	Brora / Helmsdale Dornoch Golspie Bonar Bridge Lairg		� Lawson Memorial Hospital	1 GP on shift evenings, after midnight, and at weekends. Likely to be based in Golspie where patients will normally be seen. (If required potentially they could also be seen in Migdale hospital) Patient and doctor transport to be provided
NORTH WEST SUTHERLAND	Armadale, Assynt (Lochinver), Durness Tongue Scourie / Kinlochbervie	Armadale, Assynt (Lochinver), Durness Tongue	No anticipated change to medical cover	No anticipated change to medical cover
EASTER ROSS	Alness / Invergordon Tain x2 Dingwall Strathpeffer		� Ross Memorial, Dingwall � County Hospital, Invergordon	1 GP on shift evenings and weekends and after midnight Patient and doctor transport to be provided
GREATER INVERNESS	Cromarty Fortrose Munlochy Beauly x2 Drumnadrochit Culloden x2 Ardlarich x3 Kingsmills Fairfield Riverside Kinmylies Southside Rd Burnfield Crown Foyers		� Within A&E Department Raigmore	2 GPs working on shift evenings and weekends with an additional GP on Sunday afternoon. 1 GP on shift after 11:30 pm. Patient and doctor transport to be provided

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