Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2013 | Page 55

COUNTRY LIFE Link up or stay separate? Sam Biles looks at how communications and links with the mainland are improving in some areas and declining in others. One of the buzz words in politics recently has been ‘localism’ and yet on the Island we seem to be moving toward closer links with our neighbours in Hampshire. This sort of issue seems to raise temperatures and can be hard to disentangle the facts from the emotions. The recent moving of the operational control of Island’s schools to Hampshire is an emotive issue. However, if this turns out to benefit the pupils then it will have been a positive step. The great medical advances in recent decades are so expensive that it is perhaps not possible to deliver all of the up-to-date investigations, procedures and treatments on the Island. Periodically stories circulate about the Island losing its maternity, A&E or other departments. On the surface this looks to be retrograde, but regarding the A&E, recent advances in the paramedic and ambulance services have led to a much higher quality of treatment being delivered outside hospitals that the traditional role of A&E has changed. These situations are perhaps more keenly felt here on the Island than in other locations. Ironically at a time when IT communication is improving the ferry services are being cut back and becoming more expensive. Nowadays anyone with a smart phone can photograph a document, photo or even an injury and text or email it to the mainland in seconds. Similarly the availability of the web and video sharing sites such as Youtube mean that the public can educate themselves more about illnesses or treatment options than at any time before. The web reduces our isolation in so many ways. I have no particular beef with the ferry companies and any free-market thinker has to acknowledge that if there are crossings with few or no passengers then these will lose money. The problem with the ferries has led to a fixed link being raised again and many people who have for years championed the status quo are wondering if this might be the answer to the economic woes of the Island. Their arguments are becoming harder to ignore. If more medical treatment is to be centred on the mainland, and if this makes sense clinically, then it becomes more of a transport issue for patients and relatives and one of logistics rather than of principles. There are no easy answers for any of this and the important thing is for the Island to have an adult and open discussion to enable the best choices to be made. www.visitislandlife.com 55