A tremendous turn out from CHAT members on Saturday, when we met with the NHS senior team at Caithness General Hospital – and huge thanks to our friends from the North Highland Womens Wellness Hub for their valuable input, and also to those members of the public who so kindly contributed by sharing their own lived experiences.
Present from NHS Highland were Sarah Compton-Bishop, Chair of NHS Highland Board, as well as the outgoing Chief Executive, Pamela Dudek, and Pamela Cremin, the new Chief Officer.
As Chairman Ron Gunn said, the contrast to just a very few years ago is startling – today CHAT is right at the forefront of healthcare campaigning in the far north. In fact it has now become a truly representative organisation, and very large numbers of people rely on CHAT to stand for them, to speak for them, and to help them with all manner of issues relating to their health and associated needs.
We covered many topics, from an initial introduction, and brief history of CHAT, to Maternity, Paediatric Jaundice, Palliative Care, and concerns re travel payments and accessibility.
NHWWH also spoke with feeling – and considerable knowledge – about womens healthcare, an area of great importance. After all, women do make up about 50% of the population………………….
We will be issuing a media release soon, but we considered the meeting to be a real success. We left no room for doubt that the current situation simply cannot go on – it is totally unacceptable for mums in labour to be expected to travel over 100 miles in the dark, in the snow, in the rain, in pain and frightened, when they should be safely – and happily – in a bed in hospital in Caithness looking forward to baby’s arrival. Nor is it in any way right that patients should have to undergo the torturous 200 mile plus round trip to Raigmore (thousands have to do so every year), when we should have the required facilities right here in the county. We used to, after all…………………………..
During the meeting it was pointed out that unless we get action – and soon – a tragedy is inevitable. It is not a case of “if” “perhaps” or “maybe”. It is a case of “when”……………..
Again, thank you to everyone for your support. Together we can put things right.
Caithness Health Action Team 