This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Review of NHS 24 gets underway
24/03/2005
The selection of the team to review NHS24 has now been completed by the head of the review Owen Clarke CBE.
The team comprises a total of 12 people drawn from a variety of health care professions, the BMA, the RCN, Unison and patient representative groups.
They are:
- Brian Beacom (Scottish Health Council)
- Derek Bell (Associate Medical Director)
- George Crooks (Director, Primary Care, Grampian)
- Pat Dawson (Royal College of Nursing)
- Jim Devine (Unison)
- Terry Findlay (Primary Care, Greater Glasgow Health Board)
- Michael Johnson (Primary Care, Shetland Health Board)
- Dr David Love (BMA Scotland)
- Adrian Lucas (Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service)
- John McGuigan (Chief Executive, NHS 24)
- Helen Spratt (Clinical Workforce Development, NHS Highland)
- John Turner (Director, Pay Modernisation Team)
Mr Clarke said:
"The team is very representative and brings together a huge pool of talent and experience that will ensure a fair and balanced but thorough review of all the issues raised by Ministers.
"The team has been asked to submit an interim report by the end of May and a final report by the end of September. That report is expected to include conclusions and recommendations for NHS 24, NHS Boards, other partners and the Health Department which will be designed to improve the operational performance of NHS 24.
"Over the coming weeks the team will be carrying out a series of visits. We will be speaking to managers and staff at the NHS 24 call centres, as well as at the primary care out-of-hours call hubs and the primary care emergency centres.
"We will also discuss issues with GPs and with A & E services. I and the other members of the review team are particularly looking forward to speaking to and listening to staff about the service."
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"I am very pleased that we now have the team in place to conduct this important review to ensure that NHS 24 realises its full potential in delivering high quality services for patients. I look forward to their findings in due course."
Patients, staff and the public are invited to submit their views to the review team. Comments will be treated as confidential and can be sent by post to:
NHS 24 Review Team
Room 2E(N)
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
EDINBURGH
EH1 3DG
Or by e-mailing nhs24reviewteam@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
The review team's remit is to produce a report and recommendations for action on:
- NHS 24 responsiveness to callers and waiting times for service users, and how these can be improved
- The use of call back and how it can be reduced
- Services for callers in remote and rural areas and how these can be improved
- Linkages with NHS partners including out of hours service providers, Accident & Emergency departments and the Scottish Ambulance Service to provide a seamless and effective handover of patients as they move between NHS 24 and its NHS partners
- Availability of staff to deliver NHS 24 services by helping NHS 24 recruit and retain the staff it needs to provide the necessary service - properly developed and deployed
- Effectiveness of IT/telephonic infrastructure including software packages
- The NHS 24 estate - locations and use of.