Access to GP services and NHS dentistry remain key issues for Islanders, and feedback on Isle of Wight health and social care services is still overwhelmingly negative.
Those are among the stark findings compiled in Healthwatch Isle of Wight’s Intelligence Report for 13th June to 12th July – a document which also highlighted continuing concerns about potential cuts to hospice charity, Mountbatten Isle of Wight.
In addition, the watchdog pointed to people reporting long waits for neurology appointments.
Its overall feedback was 74% negative (199 responses), 1% mixed or neutral (3 and 25% positive (68).
According to the latest report, one resident told the watchdog:
“My beloved (relative) died at the hospice following a brutal cancer diagnosis. He experienced horrific pain for months.
“It was only when Mountbatten, and their palliative care expertise, were involved that his pain was finally managed. The NHS did their best, but the difference in care was like night and day.”
Another said:
“Can never really get a GP appointment – always difficult even when the doctor has asked for one. Long wait for referral appointments.”
Responses gathered by Healthwatch in its previous May to June report were 71% negative (259), 2% mixed or neutral (7) and 27% positive (101).
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight and the Isle of Wight Council have been approached for comment.
The last government left an NHS on its knees and it will take time to recover. However,it is becoming more and more apparent that GPs have never really engaged again since Covid. We keep being told how busy they are but virtually no-one seems a doctor face to face. People are having to practically diagnose themselves and then receive prescriptions without a doctor ever seeing them. Drug reviews are a tick box. There is a massive accident waiting to happen. It is becoming equally clear that if you are retired or badly disabled and not expected to become “economically productive” again, the service you receive is very limited.
I fear it’s too simplistic to say the Tories left the NHS on its knees and it will take time for Labour to make it better, Marcus. Things have changed exponentially in terms of demand and advances in the possible since the 1950s. A 90 year old we know has had two new knees and a hip in recent years. That would never have happened a generation or two ago. And we have an ageing society, ironically in part because of advances in health care. New procedures and solutions are being devised and invented constantly. Add to that that people’s expectations are astronomically higher. We have to face the fact that though the NHS can be vastly improved in areas like waste and inefficiency, it can never be what we want it to be. Whoever is in government.
Another issue is the training of Doctors. The training costs an awful lot of money so each Government wants to keep this cost a low as possible, Also the training of a Doctor takes longer than a normal government term, so no government is going to plan for the future and increase the training when another government will gain the benefit. The final result is that we will always be short of Doctors.
Think the GP problem is bad now? More and more people are arriving as more and more houses are built. But the required facilities – where are they? There appears to be little attempt to manage the situation, just to stuff as many bodies as possible into the island, tinker a bit at the edges and hope it will all be someone else’s problem.
Welcome to Starmers Britain. Trying to see a doctor is nigh on impossible, let alone one that can speak clearly, come to think about it even one that can actually diagnose properly. “What do you want me to do about it?” Is the response sometimes. Professional, nope!!
In the last three years the islands population has increased from 140,000 to 144,000 – no extra roads, no extra dentists, no extra doctors, no extra infrastucture, however, the imbecillic council keep on trying to build more houses and accept more welfare dependent social underclass moving to the island
The “imbecilic” Council is doing what “imbecilic” governments tell it to do (or they will cut the already-parsimonious grant).
All GPs should be NHS employees under a standard, fair employment contract, and government policies which have a long-term influence or completion period should be able to survive a change of government.
Wouldn’t it be better if we all stopped blaming various governments which is a expected and stops anybody seeking a solution?Throwing yours or my thoughts at various governments,funding population is not going to solve it just before xtend th debate and stop anything worthwhile happening,which is just what those in power hope for,the service on The Island if that’s what you can call it is dire,it’s been dire since COVID,we would like answers to what Gp’s are doing really doing after making their handful of calls to exasperated patients,why you cannot get an appointment to see a GP without a grilling from the stormtrooper on patrol at the reception and if you outwit that for why you have to wait 4 weeks onwards for a face to face with your GP?!.I do not want a call back from a medical associate I want to see my GP,the last medical associate who tried to cure me nearly killed me by ignoring notes on file which states allergic to penicillin,thanks Ryde Esplanade Surgery!! bigger thanks to the pharmacist who immediately told me what they were and the fact they would kill me.