Lou Nolan Harrington recently stirred up a hornet’s nest by writing on Facebook: “I am not sure whether this is the correct starting point to communicate a severe issue regarding the refusal by multiple sites in South Woodham Ferrers for a breast screening unit to be placed onsite.” The comments can be found here.

Assuming this is correct (and her accusation is supported by the prolonged absence of the mobile breast screening unit from SWF – a unit which was very popular with those with mobile breasts as well as all those who are eligible for free screening ‘on the NHS’) then this is scandalous. When the NHS decided to close down all the medical facilities within the town and replace them with a facility on the northern perimeter, patients were assured that “services will remain the same”.

GOING BACK IN TIME …there were lots of very long and very tedious meetings to discuss the plans for the Crouch Vale Medical Centre which the town’s GPs had to squeeze in between their clinical commitments. We were allowed to make suggestions … most of which were ignored. In particular the suggestion that the building should be large enough to ‘future proof’ it (bearing in mind the near certainty that there would be considerable development in and around SWF) was quietly forgotten. The oft repeated stipulation that there MUST be a suitable bay (with the requisite ‘plumbing’) for the breast screening unit – a bay which could double as a site for the widely used mobile MRI and CT scanners and would allow diagnoses to be made without the need for patients to travel long distances – was also ignored.

So … despite frequent prompting to set up a bay for the breast screening unit to replace the one that was part and parcel of the Health Clinic, this failed to materialise. I had a patient involved in running a firm which rented out CT & MRI trucks and trailers so we knew it could be done at reasonable cost – all that was needed was the gumption to push it through.

WINDING FORWARD TO THE PRESENT SITUATION … the usual response in this sort of situation is lots of angry comments from those adversely affected … and then nothing happens. To make sure this problem is sorted out those who feel strongly about this need to start firing off letters and emails. The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System is responsible for the mobile units and that might be a good starting point – notwithstanding that this was a problem it inherited. The complaints email address is mseicb.complaints@nhs.net. It’s also worth contacting Sir John Whittingdale – including your full address. I think he prefers to be contacted at House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA rather than at his constituency office. His email address is john.whittingdale.mp@parliament.uk. He’s tied up with Peter Mandelson at present (in the ‘Foreign Affairs Select Committee’ meaning of the term) but I’m sure he will get on the case as soon as he’s free.

As for the practicalities, a site for a bay will obviously need to be found but, over and above that, it will need a water supply, suitable drainage and a ‘tailor made’ electricity supply … you can’t just plug it into a 13 amp socket. As many of you will recall all the necessary plumbing etc were available at the Town Centre Health Clinic – as well as adequate parking. To get an idea of what is involved take a look at a rough and ready short video I made while the unit was in the Health Centre car park.

The staff used to be able to use the Health Clinic loo – so that problem will also need to be addressed.

Incidentally, the town centre Health Centre was sold off for a pittance without a public consultation after the wishes of the residents (as demonstrated by a survey) were ignored. The results of the survey (carried out long before the decision to sell off the SWF Health Clinic had been announced) can be found at https://www.woodhamhealthcare.co.uk/

That’s water under the bridge. The bottom line now is keep up the momentum – writing and phoning until the situation is dealt with. To paraphrase a saying that’s usually misattributed to Edmund Burke “The only thing necessary for the triumph of those who are not very good at doing their job and regard SWF as a low priority is for all good men and women to do nothing”

Dr John Cormack