Plaid AM calls for out of hours clarity
Posted on 21 Rhagfyr 2007
Plaid Cymru AM Bethan Jenkins has called for a more patient friendly approach to out of hours healthcare provision. Today (Friday 21st December), the South Wales West AM visited the NHS Direct Centre in Swansea to speak to staff about the service they provide.
Plaid South Wales West AM, Bethan Jenkins commented:
“It’s great to see all the good work that’s being done by NHS Direct Nurses and I’d like to pay tribute to their efforts especially at this very busy time of year.
‘NHS Direct has become an important branch of the Welsh Healthcare
System, and it is now a vital service out of normal surgery hours. However, as other sections of the health service perform similar roles, some people may not be sure which service they are meant to turn to for out of hours health issues. There’s a need to make the system much clearer for everyone in Wales.
‘I’ll be contacting government ministers about this issue and asking them to look carefully at the system we have in place. We need clarity as to which services people should use in what circumstances. By ensuring a more patient friendly approach, we can build on the excellent work that’s being done in centres such as this one in Swansea.”
