The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Patients in Lincolnshire do not have “equality of access” to some services, according to a county Healthwatch report due for discussion on Thursday.
Members of South Lincolnshire Care Commissioning Group (CCG) will be told that problems with adult neurology; autism and dyspraxia services along with other childhood neurodevelopmental disorders services could escalate.
“Our concern has been recognised by the number of comments raised with us by patients and their carers,” says the report.
Healthwatch has been told that changes in the service relating to the Autism Spectrum Disorder concerns would be completed by 2020.
“We are concerned about what happens between now and 2020 for those families needing to access assessment and diagnosis,” says the report, which adds that problems with adult neurology services date back around 18 months.
“Healthwatch Lincolnshire is extremely concerned that patients in Lincolnshire are being treated unequally to patients from other areas of England,” the report says.
The organisation is asking all the CCGs in the county what they are doing to “ensure patients do not continue to experience such delays while seeking assurances that no-one has been adversely impacted.”
There is also concern over the length of time women in South Lincolnshire are having to wait for smear test results, with a case quoted in the report of 20 weeks.
Healthwatch had a response regarding cervical smears which “did provide reassurance,” but highlighted further areas for discussion.
Access to mental health care was the top priority in a recent survey by Healthwatch on activities which should be concentrated on, and it is the subject of its Focus project.
A response on adult neurology has not “been addressed to the satisfaction of the patient population of Lincolnshire”.
The governing body of the CCG is due to meet on Thursday in Market Deeping.
