Time to communicate (From Barry And District News)

Time to communicate

THE VALE of Glamorgan Community Health Council has called on the NHS to explain to the public in clear language how the'out of hours' system works to prevent accident and emergency units from being overrun.

Gordon Harrop, chief officer of the council, said: "The NHS makes radical changes to the way it works, which I would not disagree with, but does not do enough to help the public understand changes. They are then surprised when people don't use the system properly.

"As GP hours are now nine to five, if people fall ill out of hours they don't know whether to try to contact their GP, to call NHS care direct, go to casualty or to call 999.

"Public bewilderment as to where to go is leading to an overreliance on Hospital Accident and Emergency departments. Many of these patients could be better cared for elsewhere.

"Patients don't want to have to call out ambulances unnecessarily or clog up A and E's. If the NHS wants people to make the right choice of where to go then it must make a better effort to explain in clear language how the NHS works.

"There is evidence that people do not use the National Health Service effectively, but regrettably, there is also evidence that the public have not been engaged effectively by the health service.

"I think more money should be spend on a publicity campaign to increase public understanding of what to do when they fall ill'out of hours.' In Wales we all pay around 1000 a head per annum for the National Health Service."

Community Health Councils are the only statutory lay organisations with rights to information about, access to, and consultation with all NHS organisations.

The job of the Vale of Glamorgan Community Health Council is to collate all the information about patients' concerns in the Vale and ensure that it reaches the health and social services committee in the National Assembly of Wales.

The council also has links to the Department of Health in Westminster if the issue is a joint concern with England, or it is a matter of funding beyond the scope of the Assembly.

Rhiannon Matthews, responsible for communications at Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust which runs local hospitals, said: "We also believe clear communication is extremely important for helping our patients and public know where to go when they need NHS treatment or advice. We would welcome any initiative that helps people understand how to use their NHS services, which could also reduce the number of inappropriate attendances at our A and E department."

In England a campaign called'Get the Right Treatment' aimed at improving patient understanding of the NHS was launched by national government.

A Welsh Assembly spokesperson said: "A number of websites exist to provide clear information on who to contact when you fall ill or suffer an injury.

"They advise that the first port of call should be the GP surgery where patients will receive advice or an out of hours contact number.

"NHS Direct is another option when seeking immediate advice and help, and has been publicised widely. Patients can call 0845 4647 at any time.