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Under consideration PE2210: Improve access to local healthcare in rural communities
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to improve access to local healthcare in rural communities by:
- ensuring that GP practices resume inclusive emergency care pathways at all hours
- ensuring on-call doctors are available in GP practices and emergency clinics, including after hours
- removing telephone triaging, telephone appointments and remote diagnosing
- prohibiting GP receptionists from requesting private health information or redirecting patients to other disciplines
Background information
I am a retired but well trained nurse in various disciplines. Sadly I witness a worrying decline in quality and accessibility of healthcare services, particularly in rural areas. Clinics have been downgraded, leaving the rural population with inferior care and without access to emergency care or face-to-face appointments. Patients are treated by short-term GPs, therefore lacking continuity, and are being treated with indifference. Patients now face long waits and travel to distant hospitals. Many are fragile or unable to drive. We are expected to accept phone consultations. This is an unsafe and impersonal approach that can increase the risk of misdiagnosis. Clerical staff began the process of triaging or often give different opinions. After hour care does not exist. Why? The Hippocratic oath no longer exists. Safety, wellbeing and confidentiality are abandoned! We ask that the Scottish Government urgently restore rural clinic services, address the need for after hour care, diagnose in a proper manner and bring back "caring".
3 signatures
This petition is now under consideration
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