SERCO still has work to do – MPs
In response to comments by the Primary Care Trust about Cornwall’s Out of Hours service having improved, MPs have warned that SERCO still has work to do.
Cornwall’s Liberal Democrat MPs said that in the last week SERCO have still missed targets. Over the last two weekends in particular, standards were not met on home and clinic appointments, and unacceptable numbers of patients were left waiting for treatment.
Whilst better than its previous performance, and showing clear signs of improvement, MPs said that there was still cause for concern. With holiday makers due to arrive for Easter, and doctors’ surgeries closing over the holiday, calls to the service are expected to surge again as they did over Christmas, when 2500 people were unable even to get through on the phone.
Commenting, MP for Truro & St Austell Matthew Taylor said:
“It is clear we are getting the message through that SERCO needed to take action to tackle their dreadful record. With new staff and improved technology it is true that there is some sign of improvement, but it is nonsense to say that everything is now perfect when the figures clearly show otherwise.
“We welcome the fact that averaged out for the last week SERCO is meeting its targets, but it is not yet doing so reliably. Easter will be a big test of whether they really are starting to get it right.”
North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson, added:
“It’s now sometime since I asked SERCO to come back to me with detailed figures for their performance in the most remote areas of Cornwall. An appearance of success in Truro or Bodmin is not the same as real service to the people of more distant areas like Bude and Tintagel. Unfortunately SERCO still haven’t answered that point.
“It’s good, though, that at least some of our message is getting through to the company. Now it’s up to the PCT not to let them off too easily by declaring targets met when they’re only nearly there. False proclamations of success are no substitute for real pressure to get things right.”
