I wonder how many local residents in Farnborough and Aldershot realise that Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley is no longer their local hospital, that local doctors and dentists have received instructions to refer their patients to hospitals in Hampshire not Surrey, that patients are being sent to Basingstoke not Frimley?
This is the infernal market gone mad, it is to ride roughshod over patient choice.
The first many patients learn they are being sent to Basingstoke not Frimley is when they receive written confirmation of their hospital appointment. They are not being told they have a choice, let alone given a choice.
No one I have spoken to is aware this is going on.
From Farnborough it is a ten minute ride on the No1 bus to Frimley, then a ten minute walk from Frimley to Frimley Park.
To a hospital in Basingstoke, it is a 20-25 minute train jorney Farnborough to Basingstoke, then what as the hospital is not nearby, it is not in the town centre.
I have spoken to Basingstoke Hospital, they are baffled why patients in Farnborough are being sent to Basingstoke not Frimley. I have spoken to Frimley Park and they are equally baffled.
For people living in Aldershot, a much worse journey by public transport to Basingstoke.
This would be like living in a village outside Lincoln and being told you cannot go to a hospital in Lincoln because you reside outside the city boundary, instead you have to travel to Pilgrims Hospital at Boston!
Tags: Aldershot, Farnborough, Frimley, Frimley Park, Frimley Park Hospital, Hampshire, patient choice, Surrey
Keithpp's Blog 
October 12, 2011 at 1:55 pm |
Hello. I am the head of communications at Frimley Park Hospital and wondered where you got your information from. It is not the case that we are ‘no longer the hospital for Farnborough and Aldershot’. I would also be interested to know who you spoke to at Frimley Park.
Please could you email me with your response?
Kind regards
James Taylor
October 13, 2011 at 3:27 pm |
Hampshire PCT has told all local dentists and GPs they must send patients to Hampshire hospitals. Source is not Frimely Park who are baffled that patients are being referred to Basingstoke.
October 13, 2011 at 3:28 pm |
Difficult to e-mail you when no e-mail left!
October 14, 2011 at 2:05 pm |
Hello also.
As Head of communications at NHS Hampshire I am also interested in where this information has come from. I have asked my colleagues to investigte internally, but it would be good to hear who told you this. Please email me at: coomunications@hampshire.nhs.uk
Many thanks.
Mel McKeown.
October 14, 2011 at 4:30 pm |
My understanding is that Hampshire PCT has told local GPs and dentists in Hampshire to refer all patients to hospitals in Hampshire. I am trying to obtain a copy of this instruction, but that is what is being claimed by at least one dental practice in Farnborough as their rationale for referring patients to Basingstoke.
October 17, 2011 at 8:18 am
Many thanks for this. I have put a call in to our dental lead here, Natalie Jones, and am awaiting a response.
October 20, 2011 at 9:04 am
Keith,
I have spoken to our dental commissioner and she has assured me that oral surgeries are still carried out at Frimley as well as from Basingstoke. She has offered to contact the practiec to clarify this with them. Are you therefore able to let me know which practice she should contact please?
Many thanks.
October 14, 2011 at 4:23 pm |
James Taylor, head of communications at Frimley Park Hospital:
It is not the case that we are ‘no longer the hospital for Farnborough and Aldershot’.
Please try telling that to Hampshire PCT who have issued instructions to local doctors and dentists that they must refer patients to hospitals in Hampshire.