Microbiolgy Services 'Blighted' by Move to Scunthorpe

This Lincolnshire Echo reported yesterday that mislaid samples and delays have blighted the work of hospital staff after microbiology services were moved out of Lincoln, according to former consultant, Dr. Christopher Brightman who has told the paper that it took him

"considerably longer"

to get hold of certain results following the closure of the on-site microbiology laboratory at Lincoln County Hospital.

The service was transferred to Scunthorpe General Hospital by operator Path Links in April, with samples from patients in Lincoln now required to travel more than 27 miles for testing.

Dr. Brightman said he took early retirement from his microbiologist consultant role at Lincoln County Hospital in October, when he felt he could no longer deliver the same 'high standard' of service to his colleagues. Earlier in the month health officials labelled the transfer a success and said turnaround times for samples had become quicker since the move.

However, a source who serves on the Health Scrutiny Committee has reported that at the meeting of the committee the Acting Chief Executive, Mr. Bernard Chalk, was not not expecting to provide a detailed report on the impact of the move, blagged his way through when pressed by Chairman Cllr. Mrs. Christine Talbot, Conservative (Bracebridge Heath and Waddington Division), in spite of the expectations of the committee to the contrary.

Mr. Chalk also told the last Lincolnshire Health Scrutiny Committee the quality of service had improved. However, Dr Brightman, who currently works as a locum general practitioner, said he took exception to that remark.

"I always found my work satisfying and enjoyable.

"We had a happy department and I believe that my colleague, our staff and I provided an excellent service, so I take great exception to the remark that the 'quality of the service has improved', since in my personal opinion that is not the case.

"My plan was to continue to work until I reached retirement age. However, I decided to retire at the end of this October since I did not believe that I could continue to provide a high standard of service to clinical colleagues without a laboratory on site.

"It took considerably longer to obtain results, I could no longer discuss technical problems with my staff, which is important since many results have to be interpreted by experienced technical and medical staff before appropriate advice can be given to clinicians."

Cllr. Mrs. Talbot has reported to me that Mr. Chalk has been invited back to Health Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 27th January 2010.

New Government figures expose crisis in NHS dentistry across Lincolnshire

Action needed to increase access to NHS dentists says Giles McNeill

New official figures published by the Government have revealed that a shocking number of people across Lincolnshire do not have access to an NHS dentist. In response, Giles McNeill today is calling for a series of reforms to ensure more patients can go to an NHS dentist, rather than force people to go private or miss out on treatment completely.

The latest NHS figures show that 49% of the population across Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust's area have not been seen by an NHS dentist in the last two years. [If relevant] Worse, 3,637 people have lost access to their NHS dentist in Lincolnshire since 2006.

Conservatives have announced a series of reforms to NHS dentistry which will improve NHS care. A comprehensive plan proposes:
• Creating new incentives for dentists to spend more time on preventative dental care, improving oral health and reducing long-term costs.
• Restoring access to an NHS dentist for the one million patients who have lost it under Labour’s failed system, by removing costly bureaucracy and cutting out waste.
• Using money currently spent on carrying out unnecessary treatments to reintroduce dental screening for children in schools.
• Ensuring that taxpayer-trained dentists work for the NHS for at least five years.

Giles said:

"The Labour Government is leaving a terrible dental legacy which will be difficult to fix. A million people have lost their NHS dentist in just three years, and 49% of the population across Lincolnshire are without an NHS dentist.

"Dentists are fed up with the flawed system that Labour have introduced. As a result, local residents to have to travel miles to see an NHS dentist, or else pay to go private to receive the treatment they need.

"Conservatives will help restore access to an NHS dentist, and spend more on preventative treatment to help avoid tooth decay. We need to tackle the worrying number of people needing to have their teeth pulled out."