GPs lagging behind times over use of telehealthcare units

AS someone who has argued the merits of telehealthcare for many years, and advised the Tunstall company for a short while, I felt your article “NHS chiefs face ‘wasted millions’ row over hi-tech telehealth plan” and editorial (Yorkshire Post, January 14) pointed the finger of blame in completely the wrong direction.

As Mike Waites’ article made clear, telehealthcare has a proven track record of significantly reducing hospital admissions and enabling individuals with chronic health or care needs to remain independent.

The trials of its use in London, Kent and Cornwall have confirmed the existing evidence of its tremendous potential in addressing the needs of an ageing population at a time of significant reductions in NHS and social care budgets. The Prime Minister has rightly recognised that it should play a major role in future health strategies.

While your coverage picks up audit criticism of the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust’s acquisition of 2,000 telehealth devices, at a time when the Government are moving NHS commissioning to GPs, surely the key question is why so many GPs in their area appear to be completely unaware of how their patients could be helped by such provision.

If, with the use of just 410 devices, a reduction of 34 per cent in emergency admissions in the area can be achieved, it seems clear that those GPs in North Yorkshire not taking up the technology are badly failing their patients.

You quote Robert Goodwill MP attacking “bureaucratic structures” such as the PCT, but shouldn’t he and other Government supporters be more focused on the fact that a significant number of GPs in his area appear considerably behind the game at a time when legislation before Parliament will shortly give them the power to purchase the bulk of patient care?

Through my work contributing to NHS staff development courses in various parts of the country, I meet many doctors, including GPs, who would give their right arms to have their patients accessing such telehealthcare equipment.

Far from being castigated for its policy in this area, the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust should be commended for its vision.

If the GPs of North Yorkshire don’t want their patients taking advantage of these devices, I can think of many others elsewhere who would be delighted to see them in use.

From: David Bradley, Arden Court, Horbury, Wakefield.

ONCE again, a report on the front page (Yorkshire Post, January 14) castigates the NHS but again yet another time bomb left by the outgoing Labour administration with no control over spending on the project.

The date of March 2010 for its instigation looks a little like running for the money before sanity has to return.

Who are these PCT directors and have they stood down?

Had it worked, they would have had bonuses paid to them.