News

First ENT Outpatient Clinic held at Whickham Cottage GP Practice

ENT specialists from the Freeman Hospital held their very first outpatient clinic at the Whickham Cottage Medical Centre yesterday, seeing patients from all over the Gateshead area whose GPs had given them the choice to be seen in this bright and inviting GP practice on Rectory Lane.This new outpatient clinic has been arranged to offer patients who live in and around Gateshead a venue closer to where they live - one of the key recommendations which came out of Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS published earlier this year which suggested that there was an overdependence of providing healthcare in hospitals, particularly in the North East of England.

One of our very first patients, Norman Spall, an 80 year old retired civil engineer who lives in Whickham itself, was referred to the clinic by his GP, Dr Ranu after he had been experiencing problems with one of his ears. Mr Spall, who has seven grandchildren, said “I have a recurring problem with an ulcer on my ear which I first had to have seen about 20 years ago.  Recently my ear has been irritating me again and started bleeding so I went to see my GP who referred me to see an ENT Consultant to get it sorted out. My appointment was arranged immediately on the Choose and Book system and I’ve been seen here in Whickham within 2 weeks.”

When asked what he thought of the new clinic arrangements Mr Spall said “It’s excellent! I only live 10 minutes away - I could almost have walked here in my slippers! I feel I’ve been very ‘green’ today”.

However there is another reason why Mr Spall was very pleased to be seen in this clinic.  “I’m a member of the Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust and I recently received a leaflet to say that they want ENT services at the QE to go to Sunderland. I don’t want to go to Sunderland for follow up treatment - it’s not easy to get to with too many buses changes and car parking isn’t easy either if you need to stay in overnight. The Freeman Hospital is much easier to get to with public transport taking you straight there so I can use my bus pass”.

Mr Spall with Mr Ian Johnson, Clinical Director for ENT Services and Consultant ENT Surgeon, and Sister Lesley McVittie.

So why does Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust want to change its ENT services?

People living in Gateshead and surrounding area who have problems affecting their ear, nose or throat have historically been referred to the outpatient clinic at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Gateshead to be seen by specialist ENT consultants, specialist nurses and audiologists from the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  Any patients who subsequently need to be admitted for further treatment, either as a daycase or an overnight stay, currently go to the Freeman Hospital.

However Gateshead Primary Care Trust, who commission services for the population of Gateshead at the QEH, are holding a public consultation on proposals to make significant changes from April of next year. 

What do these changes mean?

Gateshead Primary Care Trust proposes that in future, patients will be seen by ENT consultants from City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust who would provide outpatient clinics at the QEH.Day case surgery and inpatient care would then be provided at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

The consultation leaflet which has been distributed to the residents of Gateshead and surrounding areas seeking their views on the proposed changes, says that the service provided by Sunderland would mean improved patient waiting times, and consistent and reliable outpatient services – two areas in which the Newcastle Hospitals Trust pride themselves, ie. providing low waiting times and an excellent service for patients.

Sir Leonard Fenwick CBE, Chief Executive says:

“Whatever the outcome of the consultation, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will continue to offer high quality and comprehensive ENT services to the many patients and GPs in Gateshead and surrounding areas who choose to come to the Freeman Hospital or to see our consultants at outpatient clinics closer to home. We think it is important that individual patients are given the choice of where to go for their appointments and that it is an informed choice covering the whole of their treatment. For example, patients need to be aware that, under the proposed arrangements, if they choose to go to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for their outpatient appointment then they would have to go to Sunderland for any inpatient treatment required, rather than Freeman Hospital as is the case now.”

Mr Ian Johnson, Clinical Director for ENT Services who held the first clinic sessions at Whickham Cottage GP Practice adds:

“We’re absolutely delighted to be able to offer this new clinic to the people of Gateshead. To make it easier for patients to see our ENT specialists we are working closely with our GP colleagues to make as much outpatient treatment as possible available locally through the provision of consultant led outpatient services in GP surgeries and other facilities in the Gateshead area. From today, there will be weekly consultant clinics at Whickham Cottage GP practice (open to the patients of any practice) and we will continue to expand our outpatient services to other areas of Gateshead. Patients who need surgery or other hospital based services will then be seen at the Freeman Hospital which is the largest and most advanced centre for ENT conditions in the North of England. This will increase the choice available to patients and make more high quality services available locally for people in Gateshead.”

The consultation will end on Wednesday 8^th October 2008 and to make sure all Gateshead residents share their views on whether or not the proposed changes are right for them, please contact:

Emma Cameron