Health chief blasted over skin treatment move to GPs

Mar 19 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

HEALTH Secretary Alan Johnson was dragged into protests yesterday over a shift to treat Wirral skin disease sufferers at GP surgeries, rather than in hospital.

A 1,541-signature petition was presented in the House of Commons urging Mr Johnson to order a stop to the controversial shake-up of dermatology services at Clatterbridge Hospital.

Later, in the chamber, Wirral South MP Ben Chapman warned the Health Secretary of a “widespread concern that it will result in a deterioration in the quality of treatment”.

But Mr Johnson brushed aside the calls for a review, insisting fears that hospital-based services in Wirral were being run down were completely unfounded.

He told Mr Chapman: “I don’t agree. What’s happened in Wirral is that some dermatology services are moving to local, community-based services.

“It doesn’t detract at all from the specialist dermatology units that are in hospitals on the Wirral. I can give him an assurance that this will enhance dermatology services.”

But, speaking outside the chamber, Mr Chapman warned the changes were also unpopular with patients with eczema, psoriasis and other conditions, who were embarrassed to be treated by GPs.

The Labour MP said: “I would like to see the views of the people who are receiving these treatments given primacy, because they know what they feel comfortable with.

“I am all in favour of making services more local to patients, but the other problem here is that it takes resources away from the dermatology unit at Clatterbridge.”

The petition, lodged late on Monday night, accuses Wirral NHS Trust of making the changes “without due consideration and discussion of the effects”.

It continues: “Moving the majority of skin care management to the community has the consequence of reducing funding to hospital-based services. This potentially risks the loss of specialist treatments (both in and out-patient-based), diagnostic skills, opportunities for multidisciplinary clinics and valuable training for nurses and doctors.”

But, last night, Wirral Trust hit back, insisting a survey late last year found that most patients were “very satisfied” with dermatology services provided away from Clatterbridge.

Furthermore, “specialised” treatment was still carried out at the hospital, with “intermediate” services provided “in a community clinic setting, which complements this service”.

In a statement, the trust said: “This model of care has been in the primary care trust’s plans for several years and all our plans are shared in the public domain.”