With some fairly big issues being debated in Parliament at the moment, it was good to be back in Yeovil at the end of last week to focus on local issues and in particular healthcare. Many thanks to Peter Lewis, CEO of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust & YDH and Martyn Scrivens, Chairman of the Board of Directors, for their time.
Some polls recently have shown confidence in the NHS isn’t where it needs to be but it is interesting that people’s view of services in their own area is significantly higher than how the national picture is viewed. It suggests that the media is portraying a more bleak picture than people’s own experiences.
Certainly my tour of the hospital and meeting afterwards showed that things are positive, albeit with some pressures. We discussed major investments completed and planned at the Yeovil site, and I raised ambulance times and dentistry as particular issues. On the former a point worth remembering was made that although it can be quicker if people make their own way to hospital, they might not be expected on arrival whereas the trained ambulance crew may call ahead to allow preparation, as well as offering some treatment at the scene. More local community involvement to address the challenge in rural areas was something we discussed.
The lack of dentist appointments is an acknowledged problem. The hospital used to provide some services but it became unsustainable after the spike in numbers after Covid. I have raised the problem with health Ministers several times but will do so again having had this conversation. Improving access to primary care and GP appointments in some areas is also being looked at the organisational level.
On Tuesday evening I spoke in the debate on the Online Safety Bill which is a long overdue piece of legislation much of which is aimed at making the internet less potentially damaging for children. It makes companies more accountable for harmful material on their sites which is important. I also raised the issue of how many people have misplaced trust in social media sites to gather their news and views, unaware of the various algorithms and commercial interests at play.
The “Twitter Files” have been largely ignored by the mainstream press here but they clearly demonstrate how digital media algorithms have been used for censorship and propaganda according to various hidden biases. More needs to be done to make users aware that this is happening, and to make sure people aren't just fed their and others' biases.
On Monday the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill was voted through the Commons. At the moment certain unions are making huge pay demands with the threat of withdrawing vital public services. Independent pay review bodies were set up years ago to stop public sector pay becoming a political issue and if the Government starts separate negotiations then there is no point to them. I am all for realistic and sustainable increases but we need to look at other areas too which cause unhappiness in certain professions.
Often we hear about unreliable use of agency staff putting pressure on NHS nurses or over-regulation generating too much work for teachers outside the classroom. Pay can be an issue but it shouldn’t be seen in isolation and vital services need to continue whilst working conditions and management structures are improved.