Out of hours response
OVER the Christmas holiday period, South East Health, the local provider in Hastings and Rother of out-of-hours services made my mother, who lives in Hastings wait for more than 10 hours to provide a home visit. Neither my parents nor I are complaining about the six-hour wait originally predicted - we understand they were busy so six hours seems reasonable. However as the day went on with no contact from the company her anxiety greatly increased.
I now understand from the Department of Health that this breaches two of the requirements for the National Quality Requirements for an Out of Hours Service - face-to-face consultations must take place within six hours for less urgent cases, and providers must have capacity to meet predictable fluctuations in demand such as Saturday and Sunday mornings and the 3rd day of a bank holiday weekend.
When the doctor finally came he agreed my mother should not have waited that long.
It is obvious the company simply did not have enough staff to cope with the demand over a four day bank holiday weekend.
The department of health have advised me that since 2005 all out of hours services must comply with National Quality Requirements for Out of Hours Services.
Hastings and Rother PCT will only take action if there are several breaches of this. I do not believe my mother was the only person in Rother to receive poor treatment over this Christmas period. From my conversations with other people in Bexhill and Battle people think they have to put up with this appalling service. This is not the case- complaints can be made.
Could I through your newspaper appeal for any other people affected as we were to complain directly to : NHS Hastings and Rother HQ, Bexhill Hospital, Holliers Hill, Bexhill on Sea TN40 2DZ
SUSAN PETERSON
Bexhill
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Monday 28 May 2012
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