Accountability Review, September 2012: questions asked by John Womersley and others at the NHS Dumfries and Galloway Annual Accountability review with the Minister
On-line Petition: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/enforced-isolation-in-hospital - 168 signatures and many comments in support of providing a mix of single rooms and multi-bed spaces in hospital.
Stewartry Churches: Petition: 110+ signatures received in local churches, supporting a mix of single rooms and multi-bed spaces in hospital.
Radio Scotland phone-in:: Call Kaye, 4th February: “a surprising number of callers in favour of sharing accommodation in hospital.”
Correspondence and discussions: The 100% single-room policy has given rise to much concern amongst the general public, hospital patients, patients’ advocates, doctors, nurses, spiritual leaders and also to some NHS Board members and MSPs.
Alex Fergusson MSP has commented on the absence of consultation with patients’ representative groups.
An NHS Dumfries and Galloway Board member has remarked on the Scottish Government’s insistence on 100% single rooms in spite of representations from some Board members, and the lack of clear evidence that the policy is necessary for patient care and infection control.
And a professor and clinician at Dumfries and Galloway Royal infirmary remarks on the need for substantially more single rooms but says “to dictate that this must be 100% when surveys show that many patients crave company flies in the face of reason;” he also raises the question of what happens when a patient unexpectedly has a cardiac arrest in a single room.
Further comments from these and a wide variety of other sources are given in the linked compendium: http://shim.org.uk/Documents/2013/Petition_responses.doc