LATEST NEWS

23/02/09

Maternity Services Development Panel

The Maternity Services Development Panel met on the 12th February.

The minutes of the meeting can be downloaded by clicking here.

One of the points made is that “Key messages, minutes and papers have been posted on the PCTs’ websites with a front page link”. As the link may on the PCT front page may not be immediately obvious, we are happy happy to include a link here.

28/01/09

The Maternity Committee

The Maternity Committee consists of both the Clinicians Forum and the Development Panel, the latter of which includes HoTC Chair Margaret Williams. To keep everyone in the loop, we are making the full minutes from the Development Panel Meeting held on Thursday 8th Jan 09 available. Click on the icon on the left to download the minutes (.PDF, 54kb)

The Future of Hands Off The Conquest

Some people may be wondering why, when we have won the fight to keep full facilities at the local hospitals, the site is still running. The simple, and less then satisfactory, answer is that there is strong reason to believe that there may still be threats to services at the Conquest which could lead to certain facilities being withdrawn. This would have a knock-on effect to other areas, which would include A&E.

We have no intention of indulging in scare mongering, but we will continue to be vigilant and bring to public notice any threats to the future of the Conquest. And we hope we can count on your continued support in ensuring the provision of essential health care in the community.

07/10/08

There seems so much going on at the moment.

Primary Health Care Clinics

Very briefly these new Primary Care Health Clinics could be a disaster for a lot of GP Surgeries. The Station Plaza one, for example, is having a Walk In Centre, run by a private practice. They are guaranteed to be able to register any new patients for the first 2 years. This could be a loss of 30 per cent of business for the NHS practices over those two years. Because of the situation of the surgery there is a 10 – 15 per cent loss of patients each year as the population is very transient. As you can see no business, whether private or NHS can stand that sort of loss, and will therefore go bankrupt.

This is happening up and down the country. I sit on the Hastings and Rother Health and Social Care Forum and the Healthier Hastings Partnership Board and I have seen many power point presentations about Station Plaza. A private firm running the walk in centre has never been mentioned. Needless to say it will be now!!!!

Link: www.supportyoursurgery.org.uk

Rural GPs and Their Ability to Dispense Medicines

Now this one is about stopping rural GPs from dispensing medicines. The DoH wants pharmacists to take over the role. These are likely to be branches of big national chains and will only open for profit. I know of one surgery (Westfield) who has written to all their patients asking for help and if this goes through they will have to close their Sedlescombe surgery. This is just like the Post Offices, but no-one knows about it.

Concerns can also be emailed to PWPCONS@dh.gsi.gov.uk. The consultation has already started and therefore time is once again of the essence.

Link: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_087324

29/06/08

An interesting news report regarding the state of maternity within the NHS.

Maternity units 'under threat' Forty-one maternity units have been closed under Labour or are under threat, new figures unveiled by the Conservatives show. The data for units across England was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. A total of 93% of NHS trusts responded to the request, put forward in March this year. They provided details of services that had closed over the last decade under Labour. A total of 10 units have closed, while a further five units have changed from being led by consultants to being led by midwives. The Tories said this change equated to "loss of full obstetric cover". Fifteen units were found to be under threat of closure or were planned for closure in the future. Some trusts said this was to make way for expanded maternity services at other hospitals nearby. The Tories also listed another 11 units under threat of losing services. The Tories said smaller units seemed to be particularly under threat, with proposals for reconfiguration and reviews of maternity services in different areas of the country. Shadow health secretary, Andrew Lansley, said: "These figures clearly demonstrate the foolishness of Labour's plans to super-size our NHS. As has happened far too often with this Government, ideology is seen as more important than a proper analysis of the facts. "Labour's drive for large numbers of births in ever more distant larger obstetric units will torpedo choice in childbirth and undermine quality care for normal births." Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw, said: "Time and time again the Tories say they want the NHS to be free locally to make decisions about the kind of services they should provide. Yet time and time again, when that freedom is exercised, the Tories oppose it." Source: MSN News

27/05/08

HOTC To Meet the IRP

We are happy to confirm that a delegation from the Hands Off The Conquest campaign group will be meeting members of the Independent Review Panel in the middle of June.

More information to follow.

25/05/08

It May Seem Quiet, But The IRP Need To Hear YOUR Voice!

The lack of recent updates may make it look like not much is happening, but a lot is going on behind the scenes. And now, more then ever, is the time for the people to whom this decision matters the most - the members of the public - to make their voices heard as loudly as possible.

After HOSC (Health Overview Scrutiny Committee) referred the matter back to the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, he decided that an Independent Review Panel should make the final decision. Members of the panel have already visited both Hospitals and the Primary Care Trusts and will be meeting with the Campaign Groups during June.

A final decision is expected around September.

And all of us need to make sure the IRP hears what we have to say!

Update: click here to find out how to make the IRP hear YOUR voice

Archived News can be read by clicking on this link