OUR LOCAL NHS is often in the news and is highly valued by all my constituents.
Did you know, last year, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust saw 16,000 more people in Accident & Emergency in under four hours than seven years ago – an amazing statistic.
But our population is ageing and growing, so we do need a plan and more money to keep on delivering for local people and tackling the pressure points.
Last month, a brand new unit opened at Worcestershire Royal Hospital to help with extra winter-time demand which will hopefully take the pressure off the A&E staff and reduce the number of people who have to wait in corridors for treatment or to be discharged.
There’s more to do to tackle pressure points and you, readers, also have a part to play.
If you or a loved one becomes ill or has a minor accident, remember we have great minor injuries units at our local community hospitals open throughout the day where you can usually be seen straight away and often get an x-ray or medical treatment there and then.
Many GPs are now offering more flexible hours to allow you to visit and most GPs can see urgent patients the same day.
Accident and Emergency is really only there if your need is urgent, and you can be part of the solution in helping to make our local health service more efficient over the winter months.
The budget, last month, promised £6.3billion of new funding for the NHS for improving performance and upgrading buildings and the South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group – our healthcare ‘personal shoppers’ – will receive £350.6million next year, a rise of two per cent year on year.
While there is still work to be done, the message I get from patients is that NHS staff are doing a great job and having spoken to staff one-to-one, I have been heartened by the huge positivity felt by those who care for us and our loved ones.
