Off Island Health Care

[Lonan3]

No need to apologise for the length of the post - it was both informative and relevant to the thread.

It shows that the health service that we have is, at best, adequate for the normal everyday needs of a small population but that, when it comes to needing specialist help, we will always have to rely on the much more extensive facilities available elsewhere.

Shortly after my youngest son was born he developed meningitis - the word itself is enough to make the blood of any parent run cold - and we were genuinely afraid that we were going to lose him. Purely by chance, the usual paediatrician was on leave and his locum from the UK was a specialist in meningitis. I'm still convinced that the treatment he was given - very promptly - was what saved his life and led to him making a full and complete recovery. Trying to have that kind of specialist advice available on the island, all the time would, as another poster has said, cost far more than our health service could afford on its own.

Therefore, we should be grateful for the good things in our health service, and equally grateful that we're able to avail ourselves of the services from elsewhere when the need arises.

Billy - I hope everything works out for your family and yourself because I know the agony of the feeling that you might be about to lose one of your children. Although I'd heard of Crohns Disease, I never really knew what it was - so I also thank you, sincerely, for educating me about it.

[matty]

Maybe the island should provide direct funding for Alder Hay in Liverpool to guarantee services for island residents. This would ensure a good service and the hospital surely wouldn't be against it.

 

How come they spent some 400 million GBP on a new hospital if it's not able to satisfy local demands?

 

I can understand the hospital having difficulties in providing "specialist" treatment - in this case - it is far better to send patients with these needs to places that cater for it.

 

- As for providing direct funding to the likes Alder Hay, - I think the problem is with recent Gov. fuckups like the MEA we're at the stage where we don't have enough money to even fund our own hospital properly.

 

I don't think it's a case of the hospital not having the technical capability to satisfy local demands, it just doesn't have the resources.

 

WTF will happen if our new hospital has to close beds / wards due to lack of funding?? - Will there be any money left in the pot to send people who need specialist treatment to the places where they need to go???

[issues99]

as a person that travelled to liverpool walton once a month for 3 years there is nothing more annoying but we have to because it is a lot cheaper for the health service. And judging by the reports i have heard about nobles it is propably best. More money would be wasted bringing a consultant over(think how much they get paid) for one or two patients.

 

although on the other hand i really wish they would have better facilities over for cancer patients. being sent away for radio therapy for 4 weeks at a time when you need your family around you is not good.

 

but then is going away for any illnes life threating or not!

 

There is nothing that can be done other than make sure people can get the treatment they need on or off the island.