Are some people scaremongering? They are saying that if Polyclinics are opened then G.P's surgeries will close.
The Government has promised that this is not true.
Polyclinics will provide us with health professionals, nurses, dentists, social workers, and hospital doctors offering an integrated service.
Minor surgery, dermatology, diabetes care, diagnostic scans with MRI scanners, blood testing facilities and x ray machines will be available.
A polyclinic at the large empty building on Castle Meadow with convenientce of access would be of benefit to all of us and would provide extra jobs in Norwich and potential customers for the shops at the Mall and Davey Steps. With the extra council taxes collected perhaps our excessive council tax could be lowered.
Stanley Copland.
Problem is with Polyclinics is they centralise services and location away from communities. They are a rationalisation in effect with larger, further catchments. Its just the same as Post Offices are and Banks have done. People who are ill or need their GP need easy (walkable) surgeries to them. Polyclinics takes GPs further away from the patient.
Practically in my case my surgery was 1km from me, this GP practise Pottergate) closed amalgamating with 2 others centrally 2.5 km way (St Stephens). Too far! So there are not scaremoggers (honest people, just lying service cutting spin doctors in administrative suites.
I had to chance surgeries to a closer non polyclinic surgery. But if this goes poly, I will have to yomp further.
Diabetes services are, and can mobile, practices specialists.
I also was disappointed when our G.P. practice moved further away up a steep hill but it was better for some and worse for others.
Without a car even a short distance for some can be a long distance for others who can hardly walk.
I think that a mini-hospital (polyclinic) in central Norwich might help some of these people, as it would be near to nearly all bus stops. Unfortunately there is no perfect answer for everyone.
Scaremongers talk about rapport but how many patients can honestly say that they are on the list of a particular Doctor and can see this particular Doctor quickly whenever they are ill.
As you seem unhappy with the present services what would you like to see happen in Norwich that you think would improve facilities for you and most other people.
Best Wishes,
Stan,
Like nursing, teaching, libaries, post offices, PCSOs and many other services I would like government to stop these upheavals, stupid targets am silly amalgum policy; fund these existing services "in the community""locally" where they are and let GPs get on with things. Don't mend something thats not bust. If they need specialised services like diabetic services these should remain mobile, or specialist visit local existing clinics to consult with patients, not patients to specialists.
Successful rapport (lets term it "trust" and feeling "comfortable") can be a very important issue especially if you are a pregnant woman or a patient with depression/ mental illness issues, requiring higher degrees of empathetic care or sensitivity. Government /PCTs spouts on about choice, but structurally cuts and denies choice and assumes most patients will yomp extra distances to polyclinics. I actually think Doctors enjoy the work better, get more personal professional satisfaction, if they build poooled patient rapport and "know" their patients and medical history intimately. A member of my family preferred the repport she had with her female doctor during her first pregnancy.
Like POs in an urban settling one doesn't want to be greater than 15-20mins [1.5miles] walking distance from a chosen local practice. Like POs, GPs and patients are faced with Peter and Paul choices. Government says patients can't have both with smaller and local practices having to close to go big and central. Pottergate is no closed. New big polyclinic centrally that might suit some patients who work centrally; but less so for older pensioners, families etc who spend less visits into the City, more local visits to local shops,POs, libaries and neighbourhood services.
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