NHS ACUTE SERVICES REVIEW - July 2006

Written by Nick Pittarello and published in Warwick & Leamington Liberal Democrats - Health Working Party on Mon 10th Jul 2006

The public are being consulted on proposals to change the way hospital treatment could be managed in the future. Information and a questionnaire are available from public libraries and on line at www.coventrywarksasr.nhs.uk. Comments need to be sent in before 21st September 2006. There will be an opportunity to ask questions about the proposals at Manor Hall, Sandy Lane, Leamington Spa on August 31st and Sept 1st.

A working group of Lib Dem members interested in health issues met to discuss the seven proposals on June 27th and their views are listed below.

We supported the change to emergency operations at night and weekends being carried out at the University Hospital at Walsgrave, Coventry, where more staff and back up services are available, on the understanding that the vast majority of operations would be carried out in the daytime at Warwick Hospital.

We supported the assessment of very ill patients by senior staff day or night in an assessment unit rather than allowing junior staff on duty to deal with these cases as happens currently. Warwick Hospital will have an Assessment Unit. We had concerns about the proposals to minimize the number of elderly people admitted to hospital by offering them community care and keeping them in their own homes, as we are not convinced that social services and the primary care trust will have the resources to cope with the additional responsibilities. We recognize the value of effective use of community care services but were concerned that older people may be sent home without sufficient back up services being put in place. There is no clear indication as to how this extra care is to be provided.

We strongly supported the retention of the Special Care Baby Unit and paediatric assessment at Warwick Hospital. We are concerned at the future proposal to carry out a review, as this suggests uncertainty over the long term future of these vital facilities. We were happy about the setting up of a children's and maternity network to enable rotation of staff between different hospitals to enable maternity services to be offered locally.

We supported the transfer of children needing to stay in hospital for more than 24 hours to a specialist children's unit at University Hospital on the understanding that the vast majority of children need to stay in hospital for less than 24 hours and could be treated at Warwick.

We support the principle of patient choice, but had some concerns over the possible impact on NHS finances of plans to offer treatment in private hospitals and GP surgeries. The changes need to be carefully controlled to avoid sudden changes in demand which could lead to ward closures.

We supported the proposal to centralize complex cancer services in University Hospital where the best treatment is available.

We strongly supported the idea of chemotherapy and other forms of day cancer care being offered at Warwick Hospital to avoid frequent journeys to Walsgrave.

KEY CONCERNS

There is a desperate need for good public transport to both Warwick and Walsgrave hospitals. We cannot accept that residents from Warwick and Leamington should have to spend one and a half to two hours travelling via central Coventry in order to access services or visit patients at the University Hospital in Walsgrave. This is not mentioned in the consultation document but needs urgent consideration.

Shifting the burden of caring for older people on to social services and primary care services away from the hospitals will not work unless more resources are made available. Without extra finance the County would have to raise council tax to cover the increase in costs.

Patient choice could lead to further NHS closures if the money moves away from local hospitals and into private hospitals.

We want to retain our general hospital at Warwick in the future with its maternity and special baby care services and note with concern that the viability of these services is due to be reviewed at a later date.

An overall concern was the lack of statistical evidence supplied to explain the need to make changes to the current services.