WE are now more than half way through Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is a very emotive subject; it will touch many families at one time or another.
Some of those diagnosed will have to undergo surgery; many will face courses of chemotherapy, often packaged with radiotherapy and other infusive drugs to prolong their quality of life. This leaves the patient drained and nauseated as they make their long homeward journey.
In the late 1990s, two Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Centres (Acads) were provided in Glasgow, one at the new Stobhill Hospital, the other at the New Victoria. I have led a campaign for many years to have chemotherapy provided at the new Stobhill in keeping with that provided at the New Victoria and also as hitherto given at the old Stobhill.
East Dunbartonshire Council in January 2012 unanimously voted to lobby the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board to have the service returned to the New Stobhill, but this has never been acted on. The then Health Minister Alex Neil stated it would be clinically unsafe to do so, as it has no nearby A&E facilities, as well as there being insufficient numbers of cancer parents to justify the move. It follows, in my view, that the New Victoria could also be clinically unsafe, as is now devoid of its A&E facility.
As regard to numbers, the New Victoria has a catchment area of 111 square miles, covering a population of 306,000. The new Stobhill covers an area of 100 square miles, with a population of 330,000. More than enough, I would suggest, to warrant a chemotherapy service in each hospital.
One must also be mindful that the much smaller Vale of Leven Hospital can provide a nurse-led chemotherapy service for a much smaller pro rata cancer-affected population.
Tom Herbert,
Millersneuk Drive, Lenzie.
LAST month you published my comments regarding the difficulties I had experienced in contacting the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board by phone (Letters, September 20). Sadly, it gets worse. On leaving hospital I received a Patient Information Leaflet, giving advice and information on what to do if problems occurred whilst I was at home. Unfortunately I did experience a problem and phoned the number given in the leaflet to be used for out of hours contact
“The number you have dialled has not been recognised" was the automated reply. I did find the correct number and through which I got the advice and treatment, both of which were excellent, which I required. What is the point of issuing leaflets with the wrong phone number? Does no body check things? All it takes is to cross out the old number and write in the correct one.
Communication is a 14-letter word which the Health board doesn't understand.
I have a tip to anyone attending the new Southern General that's what it is called on road signs and motorway gantries) - directly across the road from the car park marked “E” on the map they issue, there is an entrance/exit using a ramp, called, I think, the patient lounge. This gives quick and easy access to the new main building marked “P” on the map. This is a good alternative to walking along in the rain to Arrivals Square. Naturally, this facility is not shown on the map.
George Smith
21 Birny Hill Court, Clydebank.
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