Health Matters
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What is LoSRA trying to achieve?
To act as a focal point and voice for the Lee-on-the-Solent community in all health related matters
What has LoSRA achieved?
LoSRA Chair, Richard Mackay was elected to the Council of Governors of the Portsmouth Hospitals to represent Gosport and Fareham with others in 2007. This gave the opportunity to express views on policy and direction on behalf of the community to the Hospital Board of Directors. Richard chairs a governors' sub-committee on Planning and Performance. He is also a member of the Best Care Sub-committee and sits on the main hospital committees for Risk Management. Please note that individual patient concerns and complaints should be pursued through the hospital's own service. However, he is interested in more general feed
back and problems. These can be considered and forwarded if appropriate here
Deputy Chair and LoSRA Health representative Martin Marks was also a Peeortsmouth Hospitals’ governor for three years but resigned in 2010. From his previous experience as Administration Director of Haslar Hospital he recommended the introduction of regular cleaning inspections of hospitals based on the Royal Navy’s traditional “Captain’s Round’s”. This was introduced at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in 2009 using hospital directors allocated to a floor each and even retained the original descriptive title. He was involved with discussions on improving public transport from Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent to the hospital. The main obstruction was the predicted usage rates supporting the underlying commercial viability of the services. A bid by Fareham Voluntary Action for Hants CC funds to start up a minibus service at weekends and in the evenings was successful but after a trial period the service had to be cancelled through lack of use.
Feedback was given though the Governors’ Council on the handling of outpatient appointments leading to a range of improvements including the use of text and phone reminders. Patient missed appointments have been reduced which in turn cuts down the waiting list.
LoSRA members had expressed frustration at the difficulty of having blood tests at the War Memorial Hospital. A petition to the then Primary Care Trust was organised and supported an application by Dr Bassett and partners to trial blood testing by appointment at the Manor Way surgery. The trial was very well received and was established as a standard procedure across selected GP surgeries in Gosport and Lee.
LoSRA has established ongoing communications with NHS Hampshire (previously Hampshire PCT). Martin attends meetings of NHS Hants' Commissioning Board in public when they take place within a reasonable travel range. He has raised questions about the apparent delay in placing contracts for blood testing (now resolved), why questions asked by and answers given to the public were not recorded (they are now recorded formally) and has been involved in discussions on diabetic services and communications policy.
Martin has joined Community Voices Online through the Hampshire Local Involvement Network (LINKs). This is an organisation that provides feedback and discussion on health and care services both locally and nationwide. It can be assessed online, by phone or even on line here. Anyone can
Martin Marks OBE
I served for thirty-six years in the Royal Navy as an engineer officer where I developed a wide range of technical, management and communication skills. The last five years were spent at the Second-in-Command and Administration director of the Royal Hospital Haslar. My departmental responsibilities included military and civilian staff; securiety; transport; stores; catering; maintenance and development; cleaning; health and safety; clinical disinfection. I qualified for membership of the Institute of Health Services Management. On retirement in 1998, I ws awarded an OBE for services to military medicine.
After that I became tyhe chief executive of a local housing association that provides sheltered housing for older people and the general secretary of an association charity that operates cafes and shops for service personnel in the South of England and Cyprus. This has provided me with experience for the support needs of older people, financial control, commercial pressures and the huge impace of government bureaucracy. I had experience of Portsmouth Hospitals as an in and outpatient including replacement of both knees. I retired for the second time in 2008.
I believe strongly that we need well managed, clean, efficient and transport accessible hospital facilities. Having gained some experience in health and related matters, I believe I have found a way of putting something back into the community for the benefit of others.