Update on health cuts

Tomorrow I've been invited to talk to the Randwick Women's Institute. One of the key topics they wanted to discuss was the recent health cuts.

Photos: Stroud Hospital and below Gloucester Royal

Over a year ago there was uproar in these valleys at the proposed closure of Stroud Maternity Hospital, Weavers Croft and cuts in other NHS. There were over 9,000 objections to the cut proposals and people took to the streets in vast numbers. Stroud Hospital League of Friends, Stroud Town Council and Stroud Maternity Matters organised protest marches which were supported by a very wide spectrum of citizens.

The “Save Stroud Hospitals” was formed and the District Council had a Task Force committee of which I was a member. Indeed my submission re the cuts was used to help the District Council's submission. The District Council made available £4000 to analyse the impacts of the NHS proposals to close Weavers Croft and the Tyndale centre and a further £4000 for Stroud Maternity Matters to assess the implications of the proposed closure of the Maternity. To get the latest info I spoke with Cabinet member Cllr Libby Bird who kindly gave me some of the following info which she'd used for another talk - the latest news re Weavers came from the press.

Maternity Hospital update

As noted previously on this blog the proposals were to close both Stroud and Cheltenham maternity Hospitals and locate both consultant led and midwife led births at Glos Royal Hospital. Stroud Maternity Matters commissioned Dr Suzanne Tyler to write a report - this was instrumental in winning the reprieve of the closure of the Maternity Hospital. Stroud being one of 15 in the country. Some mothers prefer a more natural approach offered by Stroud Maternity and are not keen on the high tech births offered in Gloucester.

It was in 1998 the Maternity hospital was last threatened with closure. At that time targets were set and these were met. So, how long will this reprieve last? They have just undergone a review and are subject to another one in 2 years time. However, it is open and delivering babies at the moment but we need to be watchful.

Other health cuts

The proposals were to cut the provision of in patient services and just have day surgery. This would mean the loss of the gynaecology and breast operations and some general surgery. Open it up with a private provider to supply some sort of medical provision and upgrades to the theatres as has happened at Cirencester. Usually private providers specialise in one or two types of procedures so the rest would be lost.

Fortunately all the proposals were shelved and the operating theatres should be upgraded this year at a cost of £0.75 million. Good news.

Weavers Croft

The proposal was still to close Weavers Croft and locate the facility at Charlton Lane in Cheltenham. However the latest news is that Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has just ordered an independent review.

I hope the proposals are also overturned - it is perhaps the cruelest of all the proposed cuts in services. Patients will gradually loose touch with all things familiar surroundings and people. Practically impossible to visit without a car, as it is three bus journeys and a lot of elderly people don’t like to drive out of their immediate vicinity or don't have access to a car.

I heard a report that there was a bit of alarm recently when it was found that there were only 4 people in the 18 bed unit which is normally full. It was thought by some that closure had begun but the announcement will not be made until after the local elections. Apparently it is normal seasonal downturn but I've also heard rumours that some were asked to go to Cirencester? If so I would be deeply concerned - I would welcome any news from others on this.

Berkeley Hospital.

The proposals for provision in that part of the district were seemingly satisfactory. In that a new health unit would replace Berkeley hospital nearer the centre of a growing population in Cam and Dursley. A new doctors surgery is badly needed and could incorporate a 10 bed unit. People do not want to see the hospital close before the new provison is in place. Long term use of Berkeley hospital will need to be found.

Kings Fund Report

The District Council also commission the Kings fund to look at the possibility of setting up a Social Enterprise with partners to provide some form of health care in the district. This was supported cross party and a sum of £40,000 has been set aside to explore that possibility. See blog entry for 15th November for more info on this.

County Council provision

Blog readers will know about the new care homes to be provided in our district by the non profit making Order of St John. The County Council have given them a 25 year contract (replaces coverage care) and some of the provision is in several years time. Locally as noted before that includes Wyatt House in Paganhill which will be replaced by a new build 40 bed unit for Elderly Mentally Infirmed. See more re this on my 11th July blog entry.

Why is the NHS in trouble?

The NHS is facing a tough time indeed. I welcome the extra money Labour has put into the health service but their management of the NHS is misguided. Rampant privatisation of NHS services is causing fragmentation of care, reducing accountability and increasing costs. The sale of the NHS is happening faster than ever, through a wide variety of routes from PFI to Independent Sector Treatment Centres and contracting out NHS Logistics to the German parcel company, DHL which can now even use the NHS brand logo.

Spending on management consultancy has soared to £170 million this year when this should go to front line services, not corporate and shareholder pockets.

Alongside this the developing health care market increasingly damages the infrastructure of local services through disastrous payment mechanisms and pointless competition. Health care should not be a product to be bought or sold - but a right available to the sick and vulnerable members of a civilised society.

The public rightly react to cuts in services, but it is these underlying policies of marketisation and privatisation that are driving many of these cuts and it is these policies that we should also be protesting about. Sadly all three main parties support privatisation measures. I would urge people to challenge those politicians and support the national campaign group, "Keep our NHS Public" - sign their online petition at: www.keepournhspublic.com