Latest news with #RoyalDevon
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Uncertainty over blood test service in North Devon
Patients with long-term health conditions in part of north Devon have said they face round-trips of more than 60 miles for some blood tests after a medical group announced it would no longer provide Country Medical Group has announced it will no longer offer blood tests requested by hospitals at its Holsworthy and Hatherleigh surgeries from 1 April due to funding Devon said plans are being put in place to ensure secondary care requested blood tests will continue to be provided to Bennallick, 62, of Hatherleigh requires regular blood tests due to having multiple sclerosis (MS) and haemochromatosis and said the decision had given her sleepless nights. She said: "I have not slept properly since 17 February when I found out about this and all my symptoms are being exacerbated by the stress I am under."The difference is going to my local surgery which is less than a mile away or going to the Royal Devon and Exeter (RD&E) which is a 78 mile (126km) round trip for a 30 second blood test." Michelle VonAhn, 68, from Holsworthy has neuroendocrine cancer, and requires a monthly blood test before receiving ongoing treatment at North Devon District Hospital in said this decision could result in her having to make a 60 mile (96km) round trip to get a blood test."I think it's unreasonable to expect people living in a rural environment like this to travel so far for something which is such a basic diagnostic technique. "There needs to be a local solution." A spokesperson for NHS Devon said: "NHS Devon continues to work closely with the Royal Devon who have this week described to us the plans they are putting in place to ensure they can provide secondary care requested blood tests (that are currently provided by Ruby Country Medical Group) from April 1, 2025."We will continue to support them to ensure this is achieved and Royal Devon will provide further updates and information to Ruby Country Medical Group and patients regarding access and location of services as soon as it becomes available." Dr Rachel Ali, chair of the Devon Local Medical Committee, said about a quarter of GP practices in Devon have decided to stop offering blood tests requested by said: "We've been offered a little bit of money towards the costs of running this service but it doesn't cover the costs. "It means practices are having to pay out of their baseline in order to do blood tests for the hospital that the hospitals are already paid to do."Because they are having to do that, they are going to have to stop doing other things and practices do not want to stop offering their patients important general practice services."She said hubs have been set up in areas including Plymouth, South Devon and Torbay to carry out this service.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
MP concerned over proposed change to cardiac care
Delays to treatment are among the concerns being raised by a proposal to move an out-of-hours cardiac service out of Torbay. The suggested trial comes after two reviews undertaken by a healthcare programme found the joint service across hospitals in the county could be improved. Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PPCI), an emergency treatment for heart attacks, is currently provided at hospitals in Torbay and Exeter, but the proposal could see the service moved to just the latter. Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay Steve Darling said he was "extremely concerned" at the prospect of losing the procedure from the Torbay area as it could mean "poorer outcomes for patients". He said: "For patients throughout South Devon, clearly Torbay is a lot closer than Exeter, particularly on a busy summer's day. "I'm just concerned that delays in treatment can mean poorer outcomes and I'm looking for a briefing with the hospital to get some reassurances, but also to see if the trial does come out negatively, that they will reverse this decision." In an update to local MPs the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSD) said it hoped the temporary change would "demonstrate improved access and equity". "The agreement, which would see both trusts working together with a shared rota, follows input from clinicians and managers from TSD, Royal Devon, NHS Devon and Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT)," it added. Darling said the proposal needed to be tested "a lot more". "I will not compromise on patient care in South Devon," he said. TSD said the full terms and conditions of the test of change were yet to be finalised and the project would not proceed until a rigorous review had taken place. It added: "However, executives at TSD, Royal Devon and NHS Devon, along with GIRFT leaders, have collectively approved the overarching approach, and the plan is to work towards a start date of 17 March for an eight-week period. "Once the pilot has concluded, a full evaluation, including clinical outcomes and experiences of patients, will be externally commissioned to ensure the learning is captured thoroughly and presented back to all cardiology teams and executive colleagues for review." Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Anger over hospital build programme review Diagnostics centre sees 1,400 people in two months Mixed reactions by MPs on hospitals' revamp plans TSD RD&E GIRFT
BBC News
08-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
MP concerned over proposed change to South Devon cardiac care
Delays to treatment are among the concerns being raised by a proposal to move an out-of-hours cardiac service out of suggested trial comes after two reviews undertaken by a healthcare programme found the joint service across hospitals in the county could be Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PPCI), an emergency treatment for heart attacks, is currently provided at hospitals in Torbay and Exeter, but the proposal could see the service moved to just the latter. Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay Steve Darling said he was "extremely concerned" at the prospect of losing the procedure from the Torbay area as it could mean "poorer outcomes for patients". He said: "For patients throughout South Devon, clearly Torbay is a lot closer than Exeter, particularly on a busy summer's day."I'm just concerned that delays in treatment can mean poorer outcomes and I'm looking for a briefing with the hospital to get some reassurances, but also to see if the trial does come out negatively, that they will reverse this decision."In an update to local MPs the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSD) said it hoped the temporary change would "demonstrate improved access and equity"."The agreement, which would see both trusts working together with a shared rota, follows input from clinicians and managers from TSD, Royal Devon, NHS Devon and Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT)," it added. Eight-week trial Darling said the proposal needed to be tested "a lot more"."I will not compromise on patient care in South Devon," he said the full terms and conditions of the test of change were yet to be finalised and the project would not proceed until a rigorous review had taken place. It added: "However, executives at TSD, Royal Devon and NHS Devon, along with GIRFT leaders, have collectively approved the overarching approach, and the plan is to work towards a start date of 17 March for an eight-week period."Once the pilot has concluded, a full evaluation, including clinical outcomes and experiences of patients, will be externally commissioned to ensure the learning is captured thoroughly and presented back to all cardiology teams and executive colleagues for review."
