HEALTH and care in the Bude area, in particular the future of Stratton Hospital and Medical Centre, the challenges of financing the NHS and the problems of recruiting doctors, nurses and care workers in North Cornwall, were the subjects raised at a well-attended public meeting at the Parkhouse Centre last Wednesday, April 18, writes Christine Williams.

Hosted by the Bude area Liberal Democrats, it was chaired by Cllr Nicky Chopak with a panel consisting of: Helen Childs, chief operating officer, NHS Kernow; Paula Bland, North Cornwall manager, NHS Kernow; Jane Wells, manager of Stratton and Holsworthy Medical Centre; Cllr Rob Rotchell, Cornwall Council cabinet member for adult social care; and John Lamb, a care home owner.

Ms Childs said that Cornwall had had a deficit for some years and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), was making progress in addressing the financial challenges.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) had found the quality of service and safety of patients wanting and they were struggling to find solutions unique for each locality.

The audience voiced their concerns that the Bude and Stratton area, being so far from main hospitals, was ‘left out in the cold’. Cornwall councillor Peter La Broy called for assurance that the future of Stratton Hospital, with its minor injuries unit (MIU) was safe. Ms Bland could not, however, give that assurance and said no decisions had yet been made as ‘transforming care was in its early stages’. The distance people had to travel for care was a main criterion but the funding formula for Cornwall wasn’t right and the NHS had no more money.

The main providers had a block contract and had to live within their means. Mental health services for children, who had to wait six months for support, were inadequate. GP practices were struggling with an increased workload and fewer practice nurses. Nationally there was a GP recruitment problem so practices were working together. Stratton Medical Centre GPs had handed back their contract last September and it had recently been taken up by Holsworthy Medical practice.

Dr Wells said the new Ruby Country Medical group had a total of 22,100 patients and a bigger group of medical professionals. Despite GP recruitment difficulties they had provided cover for all of the patients.

An additional GP was being recruited for Stratton and Holsworthy/Stratton appointments were being merged. Concern was raised about continuity of care with some patients seeing different doctors in successive appointments.

Dr Wells said initially there might be teething problems but it was important to build up doctor/patient relationships and there would be greater availability of appointments. Some patients of Holsworthy Medical Centre present spoke highly of it and Dr Peter Hillenbrand read out a letter from Stratton GPs saying Stratton couldn’t match retirements with replacements but the combined practice would show greater resilience and Stratton would score highly.

The latter part of the meeting focussed on adult social care which Cllr Rotchell said, with a budget of £170-million, was not being properly funded in Cornwall. He said: “We are facing a double whammy of an increase in demand and a large number of older people moving into the county”.

Social care was funded by council tax, which the government had allowed to be increased. But over the next seven years, funding would be slashed by 70%. Even so, delayed transfer care numbers were the best since 2015. There was still a long way to go and they were trying to bring health and social care together with a joint contract from the CCG.

Another problem was the annual summer migration of care workers from residential and care homes to work in the tourist trade where they could earn higher wages. By paying a living wage, cost of travel and providing training they were trying to stem this problem.

Likewise they had to be creative to get locum GPs and not enough nurses and doctors were being trained. Brexit uncertainty was having a profound effect, John Lamb said.

Eastern European workers had returned home because of the lower pound and concern about Brexit. He forecast that demand for care for people under 60 would rise because of an increase in dementia, Parkinson’s and people’s lifestyles.

His aim was to build relationships and employ highly skilled workers with a contract. It was agreed that being a care-worker should be considered a worthy job with a career structure.

Cllr Rotchell said there were pockets of real deprivation in Cornwall. National planning rules did Cornwall no favours. When houses were built money should be put into services, but the government was increasing housing without providing for infrastructure.

Cllr Chopak said developers promised but didn’t deliver. A promise to provide a medical centre and new school at Binhamy had morphed into affordable housing.

Cllr Rotchell said they were committed to bringing health and social care together. They had a year to work out the ground rules and decide who was in charge of what. However, people should take the responsibility of looking after themselves.

The meeting ended with Ray Hocken, chairman of Stratton Hospital League of Friends, drawing warm applause when, he said they had £900,000 of a £1-million appeal. Addressing the NHS Kernow representatives, he said: “We have the money to make an acute hospital so come to us and use the money”.

Afterwards there was a chance to meet the panel and raise individual concerns and there was a general feeling that it had been an evening well spent.