manx minx Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/Hyperbaric-...ardy.5252137.jp The Isle of Man is lucky enough to have its own hyperbaric chambers. The annual running costs for this facility are met by part funding by a Department of Health and Social Security grant of £90,000, a £10,000 retainer fee by the Department of Transport, for the provision of emergency cover for their works diving team, and charitable donations. There is now at risk if the IOM government decide not to continue funding this life saving facility. The use of hyperbaric medicine to improve hundreds of people’s health is well documented. Most people think of the hyperbaric chamber in relation to divers and the treatment of the bends, but it is also a valuable tool in the treatment of various chronic and acute conditions. It has been argued that the healing times of patients are dramatically reduced when hyperbaric medicine is used. This can result in patients reducing their need for repeat prescriptions and further time off work. Rather than the hyperbaric chamber being a 'low priority' in cost expenditure, the government would be well advised into looking at the huge cost benefits such a facility can offer. Please support this valuable resource there is a support group on facebook and there will be more to follow. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9802...5659&ref=mf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x-in-man Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 There is now at risk if the IOM government decide not to continue funding this life saving facility. It's under pressure just like all Government funded things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyrotten Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Interesting we can afford £500K to have the TT filmed but we haven't got £100k to pay for a healthcare item from which countless TT riders have benefitted, along with everyone else who uses it. Perhaps the loonies are running the asylum already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 So, nothing new, then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollag Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Mainly the probs at the chamber have been to do with personalities and politics rather than cost and need, which is a bloody shame as we are better for having the chamber than not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I suggest we stick Eddie Teare in the chamber at 1013 mb and then slowly turn the dial towards 300 mb (30,000ft) - and then see what he has to say. Is this just arguing for more money for his budget and getting the public on his side, or a genuine shortage which the government are unlikely to find? Someone could die as a result of this not being funded - for a contribution pretty much a couple of pay rise equivalents of the guy running the FSC. Never mind a tiny proportion of the £180M they can quickly find to bail out a bank. In the meantime they sell the 'Isle of Keith' around the world for watersports etc. Is that watersports as in diving, sailing etc. - or watersports as in their ability to piss about playing at government and 'managing' this economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manx minx Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 I suggest we stick Eddie Teare in the chamber at 1013 mb and then slowly turn the dial towards 300 mb (30,000ft) - and then see what he has to say. Is this just arguing for more money for his budget and getting the public on his side, or a genuine shortage which the government are unlikely to find? Someone could die as a result of this not being funded - for a contribution pretty much a couple of pay rise equivalents of the guy running the FSC. Never mind a tiny proportion of the £180M they can quickly find to bail out a bank. In the meantime they sell the 'Isle of Keith' around the world for watersports etc. Is that watersports as in diving, sailing etc. - or watersports as in their ability to piss about playing at government and 'managing' this economy. If you dont mind I will mention your point about the Isle of Keith when I see the reporter later on. I think it is a shame that we are not using this facility for more patients who would benefit enormously from the oxygen therapy. This resource saves money - reducing hospital bed requirements, prescription charges, lost revenue from work etc. As you rightly state this is a facility which saves lives, which you can't put any cost on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempus Fugit Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I can vouche for the effectiveness of the chamber in treating other than divers, my late Mum had trouble with leg ulcers and spent many years with all sorts of stuff and bandages, nurses calling every few days etc., but after a couple of months of 1hr sessions in the chamber (mon-fri) they healed and she was clear for a good while until another small breakdown which needed a couple of weeks treatment to get healed again. That was when they only had one chamber in a container, and she was at the opening of the new building and second chamber. I think Mr Teare has not balanced the saving to the health service budget against the additional staff and medication costs involved by not having it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manx minx Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 I can vouche for the effectiveness of the chamber in treating other than divers, my late Mum had trouble with leg ulcers and spent many years with all sorts of stuff and bandages, nurses calling every few days etc., but after a couple of months of 1hr sessions in the chamber (mon-fri) they healed and she was clear for a good while until another small breakdown which needed a couple of weeks treatment to get healed again. That was when they only had one chamber in a container, and she was at the opening of the new building and second chamber. I think Mr Teare has not balanced the saving to the health service budget against the additional staff and medication costs involved by not having it. I totally agree with you. Great to hear that your mum benefited from the hyperbaric. Please email eddie.teare@gov.im with your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triskelion Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I think it is a shame that we are not using this facility for more patients who would benefit enormously from the oxygen therapy. This resource saves money - reducing hospital bed requirements, prescription charges, lost revenue from work etc. As you rightly state this is a facility which saves lives, which you can't put any cost on. Surely use of the facility is limited by the number of referrals? What I mean is, if doctors thought the hyperbaric chamber was the best thing for a patient, then they are going to send them there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manx minx Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 I met a very upset man today who alleged that his GP had informed him that he could not refer him to the Hyperbaric chamber for treatment as the DHSS had sent out a letter stating that only diving medical emergencies were to be referred to the chamber. He had driven down from Ramsey to see if there was anyway that he could receive treatment. Unfortunately he had to be turned away as you have to be referred by a GP. If this is true I can not understand the rational behind it. It does not cost the DHSS any further money to refer patients to the chamber, apart from the £90K grant which is to cover any diving emergencies. We have to have cover for diving - we are an Island with fantastic diving around our shores, but also commerical diving has to by law have a hyperbaric chamber within a 2 hour distance from the dive site if diving below 10M. There was a big court case in Orkney where a patient suffered from the bends and was flown to Aberdeen - he died. The coroner found the health trust grossly negligent for their lack of care to this man.... is this what we want for our Island? The added bonus for the DHSS is that we need this facility for diving, they can benfit from having the chamber assisting in certain medical conditions where research has proved a huge benefit in both reduction of pain and reduced healing times. So when you have something that can save money, benefit patients why would you stop GP's refering patients?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Just waiting for him to announce the ending of free dental care within the NHS.Obvious where the priorities lie. Dental care is free on the Isle of Man? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manx minx Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 I think it is a shame that we are not using this facility for more patients who would benefit enormously from the oxygen therapy. This resource saves money - reducing hospital bed requirements, prescription charges, lost revenue from work etc. As you rightly state this is a facility which saves lives, which you can't put any cost on. Surely use of the facility is limited by the number of referrals? What I mean is, if doctors thought the hyperbaric chamber was the best thing for a patient, then they are going to send them there. Sorry missed this, the problem appears to be most GP's do not have any information on what conditions to refer patients to the hyperbaric for. They need to be given clinical guidelines as to what conditions benefit from hyperbaric medicine. It is not covered in a medical degree as a matter of course, so Dr's don't necessarily know about it. Educating both doctors and the public I personally believe is terribly important. The chamber costs the same to run if there are 10 people or 2 people in it - it rarely runs to full capacity. There is plenty of space available as there are 2 chambers one holding 10 the other 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ade Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I've got to say, I think it would be terrible if the Government couldn't find sufficient funds to keep the Chamber going. I've suffered from Bells Palsy in the past, and was recommended to try the Chamber in order to speed up the healing process. I went to my GP and asked to be referred, and he was sceptical to say the least. He did refer me as he said that although he had no proof that hyperbaric treatment would work, it also couldn't do me any harm. When I arrived at the Chamber, Dave Downie immediately spotted I had Bells Palsy, gave me complete reassurance about it, had seen several cases before and all had been treated successfully with hyperbaric treatment. I went for 2 weeks in all, each treatment lasting for 90 minutes. After the first days treatment, I started to get slight movement in my face, and it just kept getting better each time I returned. While I was there, I was surprised about the different amounts of injuries and ailments that were being treated, from MS to broken bones and burns. All said the same thing - the medical profession completely dismiss hyperbaric treatment out of hand because they just don't understand how it can benefit, but the results are successful time and time again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Maybe the Hyperbaric Chamber needs to write to all the island's GP's explaining what they do and listing some of the illnesses that they have sucessfully treated. Maybe then the GP's will be a bit more aware of it. It would do the Hyperbaric Chamber better for the GP's to be asking the DHSS why they can't refer patients to it anymore rather than just the HC complaining...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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