Learn from Covid tier system to improve service delivery – Cllr Neil Sandison
Rugby Liberal Democrats Councillors are asking for the experiences of patients in Tier One and Tier Two areas to be learnt from to ensure they do not mix at local hospitals like Rugby St Cross and University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire unless the patient is suffering from acute symptoms and requires physical face to face consultation and treatment.
This call has come about because Councillor Neil Sandison (Eastlands) who has a long-term respiratory condition was told he could not have his regular consultation at Rugby St Cross unless he attended University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire in Coventry for a COVID 19 swab and he could not have that test done in Rugby.
Councillor Sandison is now concerned that other patients and residents will be impacted. He has made representation to Healthwatch and senior health officials responsible for outpatient and pathology services.
Commenting, Councillor Neil Sandison (Eastlands), said:
"It is not practical for patients in Rugby to attend a hospital in Tier Two Coventry for a swab and potentially spread COVID-19 back to Rugby. Where possible we should be taking advantage of telephone and online consultations to protect patients who are shielding.
"I am calling on Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group and University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire to make such consultations standard and reduce the numbers of at-risk patients attending outpatient and pathology clinics and contain the virus with improved bio-security measures."
Councillor Jerry Roodhouse (Paddox and Eastlands) a Director of Healthwatch Warwickshire, said:
"Healthwatch needs to hear these stories and first-hand views of what is happening on the ground. As an organization, Healthwatch is compiling these stories and providing feedback to the Clinical Commissioning Groups and University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire asking for action to ensure patient's voices are heard and service delivery can be improved."
Residents can provide views and feedback to Healthwatch