Anxiety over switch of cancer care

10:19am Friday 5th October 2007

SIR - I write after a week during which our Prime Minister and his Health Secretary have announced their commitment to treating patients closer to home, moving away from "top-down structural change" while reshaping the NHS to become "clinically led and locally driven".

In my capacity as a patient diagnosed with cancer earlier this year (and consequently being treated at Airedale General Hospital's most creditable Haematology and Oncology Day Unit - HODU) the announcements are of outstanding interest since, alongside most cancer patients in our district, I am absolutely terrified by the intended diversion of emergency cancer care from Airedale's Ward Three to Bradford.

Other cancer patients from Airedale's catchment area have already made comment about, for instance: a) The traumatic prospect of having to find an emergency hospital in the middle of a strange and distant city on a cold, dark night; b) The anxieties raised by a deficiency in "continuity of personal care" (absolutely pivotal to cancer treatment) while so far removed from the comfort of their friends and family.

I can only state most emphatically and passionately I share these anxieties.

Indeed, I have already expressed these deeply-held anxieties in letters to David Curry MP and Adam Cairns, chief executive of Airedale NHS Trust.

This morning I was most grateful to receive a three-page letter from Adam, detailing proposed implementation of "a plan to strengthen and develop cancer services for local people" which has apparently been drawn up in conjunction with Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

In his letter, Adam has made creditable effort in an attempt to reassure me regarding "continuity of provision of high quality care, as close to home as possible", and mentions intended measures to expand HODU's capability alongside outlining various other plans to improve the overall performance of Airedale General Hospital.

I do feel bound to state that his words are much appreciated. Nonetheless, he informs me that - as feared - a single "bed base" is indeed proposed at Bradford Royal Infirmary which will, in effect, be any cancer patient's first port of call outside HODU's normal working hours - 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Adam stresses that (according to his statistics) this will only be relevant to 10 per cent of cancer patients and the approach is "consistent with expert clinical advice locally, regionally and nationally". However, my experience indicates that much more than 10 per cent of patients within our Dales community have had occasion to rely on cancer care outside normal working hours - and they all seem to share my apprehension regarding prospective treatment so impossibly far afield as Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Furthermore, although they are fettered by the contemporary NHS's alarmingly rigid demands for (to put it delicately) "professional discretion", I strongly sense that many who are at the sharp end of cancer care in our region seem far from enthusiastic about the intended measures, to say the very least.

Since the outset of my treatment at Airedale, Michael Crawford and his truly amazing HODU team - in tandem with Ward Three - have worked so very, very hard on my behalf.

They have all sensitively encouraged me while supporting my attempted adoption of a "positive" approach - as have all my family and friends in our close Dales community. How cruelly ironic that, notwithstanding, this particular patient is currently wracked with anxiety and uncertainty.

In conclusion: I'm sure things can't be easy for Adam Cairns, having to deal with this issue while no doubt being answerable to those above him in such a vast present-day NHS hierarchy - all pressurising him in alignment with their aforementioned culture of "top-down structural change".

However, one can only hope the commitments made by our Prime Minister and his Health Secretary regarding "moving patients closer to home", etc, will open the door for a change of policy at Airedale before it's too late. We desperately need our local hospital and really should do all we can in an attempt to preserve its wonderful provision of care.

Does anyone feel up to contacting Gordon Brown and Alan Johnson regarding the issue?

Christopher G Wade, Netherby Cottage, Threshfield

Housing trap

SIR - Having discussed with many people recently aired proposals for the new developments, which seem to have again slid in under the banner of Skipton Renaissance, I have yet to speak to one Skipton resident in favour.

While, I am sure, we all accept a need for sensibly priced housing local people can afford, this is hardly likely to be the outcome of these proposals since, like Nova Homes who are developing Dewhurst's Mill, they intend to target an out-of-town market.

Indeed, one piece of marketing produces fictional evidence of how successful their development has been by changing holidaymakers into local householders. Of course, for every idyllic fantasy created in this promotional blurb one could create another thousand, sadder but equally imaginary, stories.

We keep being told we are investing in Skipton's future, but these schemes are not about improving facilities for Skipton people, they are about the political prestige of a few ambitious individuals for whom Skipton is nothing more than a stepping stone and the profit margins of national developers who won't even be bringing jobs and trade to the town, while they are creating a monumental eyesore at the top of the high street and five-storey affordable homes, the definition of which seems to be a moveable feast depending on the political agenda.

I was regrettably amused to read the letter from Mr S Phillips (your edition, September 21), who seems to be yet another casualty of the glossy marketing trap, to which we all occasionally fall pray, having been impressed by the degree of attention he received from a delightful young lady at Herriott's and the presentation rather than the content of the display. Of course, he was charmed, he's paying for it and a spoonful of sugar eases a bitter pill.

Mr Phillips may be happy to invest his council tax into the profit margins of slick marketing companies, instead of genuine improvements for the local community but I am not.

It is only a few years since the meeting in the town hall when Skipton residents made it very clear they were not in favour of any such proposals and yet here we are again having it rammed down our throats. Don't our councillors listen to us? Most of us would like them to appreciate that Skipton's identity and its charm is that of a rural market town, not an extension of the Leeds/Bradford housing estate envisioned by some developers.

If these schemes are passed, we, the ratepayers, will have helped to build a failing infrastructure, a commuter workforce with no affiliation to this town and eventually, for our children, the dormitory slums of the future.

Liz Robinson, Burnside Crescent, Skipton

Stalls row 1

SIR - In response to Noble Harris's comments in last week's Craven Herald, firstly on behalf of all the affected market traders outside Craven Court we thank them for at last speaking out, even if it was through the paper rather than directly with ourselves.

We were delighted to hear their positive comments regarding the market which rather beggars the question, why do they want to remove us? Or is their stance changing, given their comment that we are not about to be evicted'?

With reference to Mr Wiseman's letter, we thank him for his support. However, we do not feel that the boycotting of Craven Court would be fair to the traders themselves, as we have spoken to many of them directly and all that have contacted us are in full support of the market and confirmed that they had not been approached by Noble Harris to voice their views either way.

We the stallholders, along with Skipton Town Council and Chamber of Trade, have tried to arrange meetings with Noble Harris and the owners on several occasions to discuss an amicable way forward without success. We are open to suggestions and also have our own ideas how we could help trade in Craven Court, such as using the rear of our stalls to display banners for advertising.

Maybe now is the time for Craven Court traders to meet with Noble Harris and put their views forward and for us all to work together and put this matter to bed.

Lynda Reynoldson, Food Stall, High Street, Skipton

Stalls row 2

SIR - I refer to the letter last week from Malcolm Wiseman and the response from Tyburn Lothian who I understand are acting as agents for the owners of Craven Court.

Mr Wiseman's suggestion that the public boycott Craven Court during the month of October is unjustified. Why punish the tenants for the misguided antics of their landlords?

However, the manager of Craven Court has claimed that the removal of four of the market stalls adjacent to its frontage will improve trade and access.

This is unsubstantiated rot. I would be most surprised to learn that other High Street shops and banks have had complaints that their premises are inaccessible because of the market stalls, or whether their trade increases on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

In their response, Tyburn Lothian admit not once but twice that the market is vital to the economic viability of Skipton and is one of the main attractions for shoppers. No, the very poor access to Craven Court has nothing to do with the stallholders, but is predominately due to the long and ridiculously narrow passage that has to be negotiated by their potential customers, some of whom are wheelchair-bound.

They also admit that they anticipated the affected traders would then take up the offer of "barrows" located within their precincts, or indeed "the empty kiosk".

I wonder if this is the true reasoning behind their intention. Perhaps the stallholders couldn't afford the rents!

Robert Hall, Rock House, Thornton-in-Craven

Memories 1

SIR - Regarding the snapshot picture of Harker & Son at Kilnsey Show in 1935, which was used on September 21, how times have changed indeed.

The gentleman on the right of the three was my father, Mr Frank Driver, and the one on the left was Cecil Harker, the owner of the firm, AE Harker and Son, based at Grassington.

My father used to drive the van around the area and once a week would go over into Wensleydale stopping at remote houses on the way. The van used to carry everything from soap to polish and candles to paraffin (many houses in Wharfedale and into Wensleydale had no electricity and relied upon paraffin lamps).

The paraffin was decanted from large tanks at the back of the van into their own cans. During the winter the journey often lasted two days with my father staying with friends in Carperby.

At that time there was no "nipping down to the shop" for something forgotten - it would have to be next week when the van came back again.

Howard Driver, Wood View, Embsay

Memories 2

SIR - In your bygone days snapshot taken at Kilnsey Show in 1935, I am fairly certain the man on the left is Cecil Harker, the son in A E Harker & Son and who was the father of local personality Rowena (Bunty) Leder, who recently retired after 25 years as artistic director of Grassington Festival.

Alfred Busfield I knew very well, along with all his family, his father and two younger brothers, Kenneth and Robert. All worked their entire lives for W V Patrick, Grassington. The youngest, Robert, was at school with me and remained a good friend right up to his death nine years ago.

Jeffrey Willis, Gainsborough Court, Skipton

At random

SIR - Some random thoughts arising from your recent editions.

The developers must not be allowed to keep Brewery Lane closed. They have already applied to do that. It is a vital route for local people and should be kept as two-way traffic. If it has to be one-way the return route can be up Coach Street, missing the town centre.

Julie Ramshaw was rather wily in her presentation of the Harlequin restaurant review, noting only at the end that she ate there when it had a temporary agency chef. Okay, that was the proprietor's risk but surely she should have returned and tried the real thing?

Anyone, solicitors included, who find the Jerry Croft entrance to the main Skipton car park obstructed can save time by continuing down the High Street, turn left into Otley Street, then turn left at either of the crossroads. This is far easier than having a row with a dray man.

Miss Enid Jones, High Green, Settle

Reunion

SIR - Please may we thank everyone who came to The Skipton Hospitals Reunion on September 14, at The Skipton Working Men's Club, and helped make it such an enjoyable evening. The icing on the cake is that we raised £285.66 for Manorlands hospice. Thank you all so much.

Liz Cox and Barbara Cartilage, Neville Street, Skipton