tCI Commentary:
Approximately two-thirds of the consultation staff who attend our training courses admit to a loathing of public meetings. It is a topic we have written about in several Institute newsletters, and the article below highlights some of the mishaps that can occur. In his article “Prepare to meet your public”, tCI associate, Paul Parsons provides four points on how best to handle an impending public meeting and take control, to have an informed discussion rather than confrontation.
Article:
Cuddington and Sandiway residents say they are ‘appalled’ after being turned away from a ‘shambolic’ public consultation on the closure of Sandiway Surgery.
A total of 90 residents were denied access to Danebridge Medical Practice’s public meeting on the proposed closure for 30 minutes as nearly 200 residents attended to hear the results of a recent survey. However, they found the meeting to be poorly organised, survey results to be incomplete, and the lack of a microphone meant that people could not hear what the practice’s business manager had to say. When residents were asked to leave after 20 minutes to make space for others, Cllr Gillian Edwards requested a change to the agenda so that residents’ questions could be taken, but a 10-minute slot meant that most residents left with no or inconsistent answers to their questions.
Residents were also told that 75 per cent of survey respondents were against the closure, but Danebridge plans to continue with its proposal to close the surgery.
A spokesperson for the Save Our Surgery residents action group said: “We advised Danebridge Medical Practice that they should plan for 200 residents and proposed that the format would not facilitate a good consultation. We also told the practice that it needed to address residents’ concerns and requested the use of a microphone, which was denied. We would like to thank Cllr Edwards for speaking to the practice on the evening, which enabled residents’ questions to be taken for 10 minutes, and we hope to receive a response to each question raised. Danebridge failed to hold a properly organised and constructive consultation, as residents are still left with no answers and no knowledge of the timescales and processes involved in the proposal. We do however have a clear understanding that the practice does not want to continue to service the 3,747 registered patients at Sandiway Surgery.”
Cllr Edwards added: “The structure of the consultation organised by Danebridge was extremely disappointing.
“Residents were expecting an open forum event to enable people to have their say as a village, but instead, feedback was presented to groups at individual tables, with people around the tables not being able to hear. My fellow ward councillors and I have been elected to represent residents, and I am saddened that residents gave up their precious free time to be forced to stand in the cold and did not have the opportunity to be listened to as a village. The surgery is an integral part of the village as a lifeline for many, and as such, I would encourage Danebridge to arrange an additional session to which all residents can attend to receive feedback and ask questions.”
Article originally appeared on Northwich Guardian
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