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Whittington: A&E and intensive care in danger |
CUTS-THREAT HOSPITAL ON DANGER LIST
Protests mount amid fears for A&E and intensive care units
A STORM of protest has erupted in the wake of revelations that Whittington Hospital faces the threat of swingeing cuts.
Leaked documents show that the Archway hospital’s accident and emergency and intensive care units could be axed following the news – revealed exclusively in the Tribune last week – that its bosses are in talks with the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead about merging as a “single organisation”.
The loss of Islington’s only emergency unit would leave patients facing longer ambulance journeys to University College London, Homerton or Royal Free hospitals.
Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons yesterday (Thursday) after reading the Tribune report. It had been signed by 23 MPs by last night. Mr Corbyn said: “The idea that the Whittington should be downsized in any shape or form is totally unacceptable.”
Islington Council Lib Dem leader Terry Stacy and Labour health scrutiny chairman Councillor Martin Klute said they would fight “tooth and nail” any downgrading of the Whittington. The hospital is expected to become a “local hospital” – carrying out only specialist treatments and with no emergency services – under plans announced on Friday.
Will A&E be first casualty of cuts?
THE Whittington Hospital could be stripped of its accident and emergency department and intensive care unit as part of “wide-scale changes” unveiled this week.
News of the plans – first revealed by the Tribune last week – has led to a massive political backlash, with members of all parties across north London promising to fight the planned changes.
Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons yesterday (Thursday) after reading about the Whittington’s possible merger with the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead in the Tribune.
The motion said the House was “very concerned to hear of ongoing talks of a threat or merger to any of the Whittington’s major services” and called on “NHS London to ensure the continued existence of the Whittington Hospital, inclusive of its major services.”
It had been signed by 23 MPs when the Tribune went to press last night.
The Islington North MP said: “The idea that the Whittington should be downsized in any shape or form is totally unacceptable. If I could say one thing to those responsible for these discussions it would be: leave the Whittington alone.”
Documents leaked to the Tribune reveal how bosses at the Archway hospital have warned staff about the combined impact of the North Central London Sector Review and cuts caused by an “inevitable public sector recession”.
Five hospitals in north London, including the Royal Free and the Whittington are facing a shortfall in government funding of about £900million between 2011 and 2016.
The financial black hole has led to health authority proposals to reduce the number of “major acute hospitals” from four to three and a review examining whether the Whittington should retain accident and emergency and intensive care units.
Dr Wendy Savage, a leading gynaecologist and co-chairman of Keep Our NHS Public, has signed a statement from Islington branch of the British Medical Association. It read: “We are gravely concerned about the implications of these changes. This will involve loss of key services, including emergency surgery, paediatrics and maternity services, with the resultant loss of full A and E services.
“We were told these changes would be evidence-based and patients would be involved – but that is not the case. The whole process is so undemocratic.”
Lib Dem Islington Council leader Councillor Terry Stacy staged a protest with party colleagues outside the Whittington yesterday (Thursday). He said: “It is outrageous. The NHS should not be thinking about taking away the Whittington’s A&E. This shows that the NHS is not safe in Labour’s hands. We will fight this tooth and nail.” Labour councillor Martin Klute, who chairs the council’s health and wellbeing committee, said: “We will fight tooth and nail to keep the Whittington’s accident and emergency for local people. To close the A&E department would be to cause a huge amount of damage to the community, their sense of health and wellbeing and that should be protected.
“The Primary Care Trust was grilled at length about what their plans were by the scrutiny committee at Monday’s meeting. The more we asked them the more they said nothing’s been decided.”
Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone used the same term – “I will fight tooth and nail” – as she outlined her opposition to losing the Whittington’s emergency department, used by many of her constituents in neighbouring Haringey.
Rachel Tyndall, chief executive of NHS North Central London Sector, the authority looking at the changes, said: “The Clinical Advisory Group has proposed there should be up to three major acute hospitals in North Central London and two local hospitals.
“It has been proposed that perhaps fewer services are provided at local hospitals.”
Last week, the Tribune reported how cuts in government funding have forced the Royal Free and the Whittington into talks about becoming “a single organisation”, with a combined patient population of 500,000. The Royal Free treats 700,000 patients and the Whittington sees 250,000.
Whittington chief executive Rob Larkman said the changes would improve patient care at the hospital, adding: “It is important to state that we are in the early stages of discussions with the Royal Free about working together.
“There are many options available to us and we want to explore them all to ensure the highest level of patient care at the Whittington while facing the prospect of cuts in government funding across the entirety of the public sector.
“We are looking at every possible option.”
Board members will discuss the North Central London Review at a meeting of the joint committee of primary care trusts in January 2010 before a public consultation next year.
Angry backlash – Politicians join forces to defend hospital that, in the words of one, ‘saved my life’
Jeremy Corbyn, Islington North Labour MP: “According to rumours or reports, not only would local patient treatment be reduced but so would local jobs. These are factors that should be given priority when looking at the long term.”
Terry Stacy, Islington Council Lib Dem leader: “Royal Free and UCLH are miles away – minutes make all the difference. The Whittington saved my life when I fell off my bike in Liverpool Road. Now it’s time to save the Whittington.”
Martin Klute, Islington Labour councillor: “There’s an incredibly strong community feeling around the Whittington. Local people identify with it. The A&E department forms the central focus of that identity and sense of security.”
Dr Wendy Savage, co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public, said: “I don’t agree with this passion for merging – it is just a recipe for cuts. I think small is beautiful. In any case, if they have an insufficient budget, how is merging going to make it better?”
Rob Larkman, chief executive, Whittington Hospital: “We have asked senior clinicians and managers to weigh up the pros and cons. Any new organisation would have to be strong enough to protect our services and be financially robust.”
David Sloman, chief executive, Royal Free Hospital: “This is only one of a number of options being considered. If progress is made, there will be no decisions without full and thorough engagement with key stakeholders, particularly our staff.”
How your Tribune broke news
FIRST again! The Tribune’s exclusive last week about merger talks between the Royal Free and Whittington hospitals had the rest of the media playing catch-up.
The BBC covered the story on the Sunday evening news and on Tuesday the Evening Standard “revealed” proposals for a super-hospital. Other local papers followed up the article on their websites.
Yesterday (Thursday) Labour MP for Islington North Jeremy Corbyn tabled an early day motion, based on the Tribune revelations, in the House of Commons. |
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