Community Life

The consultation called A Picture of Health will offer a variety of options for tackling the deficit of four hospitals across the region estimated by SE London NHS to be £218 million. Previous estimates had the debt at £68 million.
All the options though point to the closure of accident and emergency and maternity wards at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup.

The other hospitals effected by the shake up are; Bromley Hospitals Trust (including the Princess Royal University Hospital and Orpington Hospital), Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich and University Hospital Lewisham.

NO LONGER SENSIBLE

“The bottom line is that it is no longer sensible or feasible, either in terms of patients’ needs or costs, for every hospital to do everything,” said Simon Robbins, the senior  responsible officer for A Picture of Health. 
“Hospitals would concentrate on what they could do best under the proposals,  strengthening health care across the four boroughs. They would also be supported by improved urgent care facilities and community services closer to people’s homes.”

For expectant mothers in the Bexley area this would means, travelling to other hospitals to give birth.
To compensate for the loss of a local labour ward there would be an increase  in antenatal and postnatal care nearer to people’s homes in what the NHS call 'a community setting'.

MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup Derek Conway told BBC London: "The maternity ward at Queen Mary's is one of the best in London it would be ludicrous to close it down."

THREAT OF CLOSURES

Mr Conway also fears the threat of cuts to  certain wards could be the start of closing down the entire hospital.

"I think this could be the start of something much bigger and we need to do something," he added.

Dr Roger Smith, medical director of Queen Mary's admitted to BBC London implementing the cuts will not be popular. "Change will be threatening to the public we and many of our staff members. I would view this as a re-arrangement rather than cuts."

The loss of an accident and emergency ward at Queen Mary's would see patients  travelling by ambulance to hospitals in Lewisham, Greenwich or Dartford.
It's hoped sending patients to other hospitals  which could offer more specialist care would however be more efficient on both a financial and clinical level.

"80 % of people who go to A&E do not have life threatening illnesses," explained Dr Roger Smith.
"In the new options,  there would be a better concentration of specialists in other hospitals. We already have protocol in place if someone has an acute heart attack they receive ECG in the ambulance and then are taken to Kings College or St Thomas' where they get treatment for unblocking the arteries."

Opponents to the proposed cuts are angry Bexley will be worst hit by the shake up.

"The other trusts are in a financial mess, Queen Marys' is the smallest and most financially viable - we are in Bexley are bailing them out."

UNDER THE KNIFE

Dr John Lister from London Emergency, a health pressure group has produced a counter report to A Picture of Health called Under the Knife.

In it he writes: "They have been discussing where to reallocate services in the assumption that services at QMH will be run down.
"This starting assumption leaves the population of Bexley at a disadvantage from the very outset: no matter what their health needs may be, their hospital has been deemed expendible – while the other three are seen as too expensive to run down."

In the New Year, questionnaires put together by the Imperial College London will be posted to every resident who comes under the SE London NHS remit.

LOCAL MEETINGS

A series of local meetings will be held at the following locations;

Greenwich - 23 February 2008 - Woolwich Town Hall, Wellington St.,  SE18 6PW, 10 am – 5pm
Bromley -  26 February 2008 - Bromley Library, High St., Bromley, BR1 1EX, 2pm – 8pm
Bexley - 27 February 2008 - United Reformed Church of Bexleyheath, Geddes Place, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 7DJ, 2pm – 8pm
Lewisham - 28 February 2008 - Lewisham Methodist Church, Albion Way, SE13 2pm – 8pm

There will also be the opportunity to give your opinions through the Picture of Health website.

For more information go to ENC 4 Draft consultation Doc.

Results of the consultation will be available in June 2008. The changes are likely to be implemented by 2010/2012

ayshea.buksh@bbc.co.uk