HOSPITALS REVIEW RESUMES WITH OMAGH TRAGEDY IN MIND
Hospitals review resumes with Omagh tragedy in mind
THE lessons learned in dealing with casualties of the Omagh bomb tragedy will be taken into account in the review of acute services in the west of the province, one of the medical staff involved in the treatment at Tyrone County Hospital said this week.
The Western Health and Social Services Board commissioned an independent review of acute services earlier this year, but it was halted after the blast, and has now resumed.
It was stressed this week that no decision had yet been taken about the future pattern of acute services in the west.
One of the review steering group members is Dr. Clive Russell, medical director of the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, who was involved in the treatment of some of the almost 400 people who suffered injury in the blast.
Dr. Russell said the bombing showed how important it was for doctors, nurses and other health and social care professionals across the area to work in "a network of care".
He said: "I believe the review must proceed, particularly in the light of the lessons we have learned from the Omagh bomb tragedy, the most important of which was the independency of hospitals within the western area."
"Our hospitals cannot stay the same, and we have to adjust in order to ensure that future needs of people across the Board area can be met."
"That does not mean closures, but requires change to keep pace with patient expectations and advances in technology."
The steering group includes hospital based medical and nursing representatives, local general practitioners, Western Health and Social Services Board staff and service user representatives from the Western Health and Social Services council.
Quality Care
They met last week for the first time after the bomb, and agreed that the work must go on to ensure that the people across the area could be guaranteed access to high quality and sustainable acute care, a Health Board spokesman said yesterday.
He said members reinforced their commitment to an outcome which would provide service equality.
According to the chairman, Mr. Bob Nicholls, this was not about cutting costs or reducing access to care, it was about providing better care and making sure services could be sustained.
Meanwhile one of the six general practitioners on the steering group, Dr. Eugene Deeny, said GP's saw the review as an opportunity to revitalise acute hospital services across the area.
"As general practitioners, we see ourselves very much as advocates for our patients, and we want to ensure that solutions are designed which provide the highest possible quality of acute hospital care for them," he said.
Former Omagh District Council member, Mr. Paddy Bogan, represents the Health Council on the review council on the review council on the review body, and chairs a sub-group formed to support public staff and involvement.
He said the review panel members knew that, to date, people might have had mixed views about the work, and the need for a review, and were concerned about possible outcomes.
Sensitive
"Following the Omagh bombing, it is particularly understandable that people would be very sensitive to any review they felt might affect their access to emergency services in the future," Mr. Bogan said.
"I want to reassure the people of the area that the steering group is listening to their concerns, and is committed to innovative solutions that will improve the quality of acute hospital services, including emergency services, for the people of the western area," he added.
And Mr. Nicholls, who has carried out similar projects in England, stressed that no decision had been taken about the future pattern of acute services.
He went on: "We will be open and transparent in our work throughout the review process. At this stage our main aim is to provide information on that process and on the services currently being provided, and the issues to be addressed.
"Later in the year we will be in a better position to discuss emerging models and the public will also be very much involved during the formal consultation process, which I anticipate will now be taking place around the spring of next year."
"Only after that will recommendations be formulated for the consideration of the Board, before it, in turn, submits proposals to the Minister."
He went on to say that information and presentations on the review would be made available to community based groups and voluntary organisations.
Mr. Nicholls added that the review steering group was anxious to hear the views of people throughout the area, but was particularly sensitive to the impact of the Omagh tragedy on local people.
The programme of public meetings will resume in October, and anyone who wants more information can contact Mr. Michael Gormley, head of consumer services at the Western Health and Social Services Board, telephone 01504 860086.
THE lessons learned in dealing with casualties of the Omagh bomb tragedy will be taken into account in the review of acute services in the west of the province, one of the medical staff involved in the treatment at Tyrone County Hospital said this week.
The Western Health and Social Services Board commissioned an independent review of acute services earlier this year, but it was halted after the blast, and has now resumed.
It was stressed this week that no decision had yet been taken about the future pattern of acute services in the west.
One of the review steering group members is Dr. Clive Russell, medical director of the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, who was involved in the treatment of some of the almost 400 people who suffered injury in the blast.
Dr. Russell said the bombing showed how important it was for doctors, nurses and other health and social care professionals across the area to work in "a network of care".
He said: "I believe the review must proceed, particularly in the light of the lessons we have learned from the Omagh bomb tragedy, the most important of which was the independency of hospitals within the western area."
"Our hospitals cannot stay the same, and we have to adjust in order to ensure that future needs of people across the Board area can be met."
"That does not mean closures, but requires change to keep pace with patient expectations and advances in technology."
The steering group includes hospital based medical and nursing representatives, local general practitioners, Western Health and Social Services Board staff and service user representatives from the Western Health and Social Services council.
Quality Care
They met last week for the first time after the bomb, and agreed that the work must go on to ensure that the people across the area could be guaranteed access to high quality and sustainable acute care, a Health Board spokesman said yesterday.
He said members reinforced their commitment to an outcome which would provide service equality.
According to the chairman, Mr. Bob Nicholls, this was not about cutting costs or reducing access to care, it was about providing better care and making sure services could be sustained.
Meanwhile one of the six general practitioners on the steering group, Dr. Eugene Deeny, said GP's saw the review as an opportunity to revitalise acute hospital services across the area.
"As general practitioners, we see ourselves very much as advocates for our patients, and we want to ensure that solutions are designed which provide the highest possible quality of acute hospital care for them," he said.
Former Omagh District Council member, Mr. Paddy Bogan, represents the Health Council on the review council on the review council on the review body, and chairs a sub-group formed to support public staff and involvement.
He said the review panel members knew that, to date, people might have had mixed views about the work, and the need for a review, and were concerned about possible outcomes.
Sensitive
"Following the Omagh bombing, it is particularly understandable that people would be very sensitive to any review they felt might affect their access to emergency services in the future," Mr. Bogan said.
"I want to reassure the people of the area that the steering group is listening to their concerns, and is committed to innovative solutions that will improve the quality of acute hospital services, including emergency services, for the people of the western area," he added.
And Mr. Nicholls, who has carried out similar projects in England, stressed that no decision had been taken about the future pattern of acute services.
He went on: "We will be open and transparent in our work throughout the review process. At this stage our main aim is to provide information on that process and on the services currently being provided, and the issues to be addressed.
"Later in the year we will be in a better position to discuss emerging models and the public will also be very much involved during the formal consultation process, which I anticipate will now be taking place around the spring of next year."
"Only after that will recommendations be formulated for the consideration of the Board, before it, in turn, submits proposals to the Minister."
He went on to say that information and presentations on the review would be made available to community based groups and voluntary organisations.
Mr. Nicholls added that the review steering group was anxious to hear the views of people throughout the area, but was particularly sensitive to the impact of the Omagh tragedy on local people.
The programme of public meetings will resume in October, and anyone who wants more information can contact Mr. Michael Gormley, head of consumer services at the Western Health and Social Services Board, telephone 01504 860086.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1231
Published Date: 24-Sep-98
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