Here we go again – I’m late with this one. The next door ‘Trust’
to Ashford and St. Peter’s is Epsom – it has better outcomes than Ashford but
is in a worse financial state – there is probably a correlation there – you get
what you pay for.
Plan ‘A’ was to merge the trusts and let Ashford close Epsom
down and sell the land.
That fell through when the scale of the problem came out.
Now here’s Plan ‘B’.
Not much different;
Epsom
Hospital decision slammed
Thursday,
May 23, 2013
Leatherhead
Advertiser
by Jennifer Hardwick
CAMPAIGNERS
battling to save Epsom Hospital's A&E and maternity units have hit out at a
decision made by senior doctors and NHS staff.
The
governing board of the Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) met at
Epsom Downs racecourse last Friday to discuss the Better Services Better Value
(BSBV) review, which has recommended the closure of the hospital's A&E and
maternity ward.
The board
voted to send three of its members to a meeting of all seven CCGs affected by
the BSBV proposals next month, where it will be decided whether the divisive
plans will go to public consultation.
The
decision angered campaigners who felt the board could have voted against the
action and stopped the joint committee altogether.
The
decision to delegate the responsibility to three members – chief officer Miles
Freeman, lay member Gavin Cookman and Dr Simon Williams – was also branded
"undemocratic".
Ashtead's
MP Chris Grayling said: "Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the representatives
of local GPs agreed to move to the next stage of the process, which will almost
certainly confirm that there will be a public consultation on downgrading Epsom
Hospital.
"What
was most disappointing was that the GP representatives made part of the case
for change on the basis of factually-incorrect evidence, despite being
challenged on accuracy."
Some 700
concerned residents attended the meeting to hear the debate unfold, as
protesters stood outside beforehand holding signs reading "Patients will
die" and "Save our A&E".
Four other
CCGs have already voted to send delegates to the committee in June.
It comes as
7,000 people demonstrated against NHS cuts in London on Saturday.
Campaigners
marched from the South Bank to Whitehall, backed by the London Labour Party and
trade unions.
Epsom
Hospital has been included in the BSBV review of healthcare in south-west
London after an attempt to merge it with Surrey's Ashford and St Peter's
hospitals fell through last November.
Richard
Donelly, from campaign group Keep Our NHS Public, said: "The purpose of
the demonstration was to bring together all the local campaigners in London and
the Home Counties and to get beyond those barriers and the individual
closures."
Following
the meeting, Dr Claire Fuller, clinical chair of the Surrey Downs CCG told the
Advertiser: "We understand some residents are worried about what any
proposed changes could mean for local people, but we believe there is an
opportunity to improve care, and it would be wrong for us to ignore this.
"At
Friday's meeting our governing body discussed the proposals that have been
developed and took the decision to delegate authority to three members.
"These
three members will be part of the decision-making process that would determine
whether the programme moves forward to consultation.
"If
changes are proposed, we will be encouraging local people to have their say and
tell us what they think as part of a three-month public consultation later in
the year."
Closing Accident and Emergency costs lives and if you don’t believe me I’ll put a post
up here to prove it. It would also mean that patients from Epsom and area would
be heading off to St Peter’s – as if they are quiet there.
Neil Harris
(a don’t stop till you drop production)
Home:
helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact;
neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
