Cuts to Lewisham Hospital A&E - SE23 Forum

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Cuts to Lewisham Hospital A&E

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rshdunlop

Posts: 1,111
Joined: Jun 2008

Post: #81

11-01-2013 08:37 AM

I agree about the consultation - there were pages and pages of 'Do you agree...' questions. There were (if I remember correctly) some places where you could put comments, and it may have been there he was looking for suggestions. But really, he expects the consultation process to throw up an alternative plan? To do his job for him?

This post was last modified: 11-01-2013 08:38 AM by rshdunlop.

michael

Posts: 3,260
Joined: Mar 2005

Post: #82

11-01-2013 10:01 AM

The issue was raised on Question Time yesterday from Goldsmiths and Brockley Central provided a good blow by blow account at http://brockleycentral.blogspot.co.uk/20...on-qt.html

Further coverage of the protest at http://transpont.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/...cross.html

This post was last modified: 11-01-2013 10:09 AM by michael.

Jane2

Posts: 221
Joined: Jan 2007

Post: #83

11-01-2013 12:17 PM

I thought it was a good debate on Question Time last night, and Lewisham came out very well. Nice to see some local faces in the audience!

Let's just hope Jeremy Hunt takes some notice...

rhsdunlop - completely agree with you, Matthew Kershaw complains that the public didn't come up with an alternative solution during the consultation, but that is his job, or what was the TSA given �5million of public money for?
How about he gives someone else the money if he can't do his job properly.

michael

Posts: 3,260
Joined: Mar 2005

Post: #84

11-01-2013 05:02 PM

Text of email from Heidi Alexander MP:

Quote:

Thank you again for signing the petition to save Lewisham Hospital�s A&E and maternity department, which I presented to No. 10 just before Christmas. Over 35,000 people have now signed the petition, and together we are sending a loud and clear message that we strongly oppose the plans for closure.

Despite this, we learnt this week that the Special Administrator appointed to the South London Healthcare Trust has formally recommended to Government that both A&E and maternity services at Lewisham should close. He proposes to replace them with an urgent care centre and a midwife-led birthing unit.

Many people � including me - feel badly let down by the so-called consultation process that has taken place. It is sheer madness to be shutting down services at a solvent, successful hospital in order to deal with financial problems elsewhere. I am also extremely concerned about the inadequate services that will be left for South East London - just this week the two closest maternity units, at Queen Elizabeth, Woolwich and Kings, had to turn away pregnant women in labour as they were at capacity.

But this is not a done deal, and together we must keep up the fight.

The Health Secretary is currently considering these proposals, and will be announcing his decision on 1st February. Along with my parliamentary colleagues Dame Joan Ruddock and Jim Dowd, I will be doing all that I can to convince the Health Secretary of the case against these proposals. But we need your help.

Between now and 1st February, please do all that you can to help the campaign. If you have 5 minutes or 5 days, there are lots of ways you can get involved. At the bottom of this email, there are specific contacts and things you can do to help � for example, leafleting, making placards or being a steward at campaign events.

If you can only spare a little time, please do the following:

1. Protest against the proposals. The Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign have organised a second peaceful demonstration on Saturday 26th January. Assemble at Lewisham Roundabout (by the station) at 12, before we march past the hospital to Mountsfield Park for a rally, music and giant petition. I will be speaking at the rally.

2. Let the Secretary of State know what you think by sending your views directly to him. Email Jeremy Hunt on mb-sofs@dh.gsi.gov.uk or write to him at Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Health, Department for Health, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS

3. Forward this email on to your friends. Spread the word about the campaign! This does not only affect the people of Lewisham, and Mr Hunt needs to know that people across South East London are not prepared to accept these recommendations and have their services and their safety compromised.

The campaign to Save Lewisham Hospital is far from over. We must be prepared to step up and make our voices heard. I hope we can count upon your support.

Best wishes
Heidi Alexander MP
Labour MP for Lewisham East

michael

Posts: 3,260
Joined: Mar 2005

Post: #85

13-01-2013 10:35 PM

If you are on Facebook and would like to help promote the march on 26th January, please share the photo at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4...862&type=1

There is also an excellent analysis of the situation in the Observer today: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/13...ll-closure
A couple of good points:

Quote:

Senior medics at Lewisham, furious at it being "penalised" for another trust's failings, point out that SLHT's expected deficit of �75m over the next three years could be cut to just �1.1m by implementing all of administrator Matthew Kershaw's radical blueprint apart from his insistence that their hospital lose its emergency and childbirth departments.

And if you think an annual deficit of �1.1m is still too much, consider that the cost of producing the report was �5m (�1m over budget in less than 6 months, without treating a single patient).

Quote:

"It's fiscal nonsense and financial madness to do this. How can you tell the taxpayer that it's sensible to spend �195m to get �19.5m savings a year?" said Dr John Miell, a consultant endocrinologist at Lewisham. "It's completely unfair and ridiculous to penalise a successful, high-performing, viable NHS trust to bail out a PFI-burdened and debt-laden neighbour."

The secretary of state needs to reject the proposals relating to Lewisham hospital and turn his attention to the hospitals that have problems, not those that are performing extremely well by every measure.

michael

Posts: 3,260
Joined: Mar 2005

Post: #86

22-01-2013 10:45 AM

Some useful information passed on to me by email. Please take a couple of minutes to use the link below to email Jeremy Hunt.

Quote:

Lewisham hospital is in danger. Right now, Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, is considering closing vital hospital services, which could leave 750,000 people with just one casualty department between them. [1]

Lewisham Hospital is a well-performing hospital, and the casualty department has just had an expensive refurbishment. Patients, doctors and even some of Lewisham's health chiefs are all opposed to the closure. [2]

Jeremy Hunt could give in to the political pressure to close these NHS services. But together, we can make this a test for Hunt. He's been working hard to present himself as the voice of patients. If thousands of us email him to oppose the plans, he'll be under huge pressure to prove he listens to patients and keep services open.

Could you send a quick email now telling Jeremy Hunt not to close vital NHS services in South London? It only takes two minutes:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-lewisham

Already the people of Lewisham and the surrounding area have taken to the streets in their thousands to save their A&E, intensive care and maternity units. We could ramp up the pressure on Jeremy Hunt if thousands of us email him directly. We can make him think twice about overruling patients, doctors and local health chiefs.

We all rely on NHS services to be there to help us when we're most in need. If these hospital services close, patients will have to travel further and queue longer. Other nearby hospitals are already stretched - just recently ambulances have been diverted to Lewisham hospital to pick up the slack. [3]

Click here to send a quick email now:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-lewisham

Last week we had a brilliant NHS breakthrough. Monitor, the NHS competition watchdog, listened to public pressure not to let private healthcare companies avoid corporation tax. [4]

This happened after tens of thousands of 38 Degrees members emailed them to object to the proposed tax breaks. Now we can do the same with Jeremy Hunt. Please write your email here:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-lewisham

Thanks for being involved,

James, Ian, Becky and the 38 Degrees team

PS: Campaigners from 'Save Lewisham A&E' have organised a march to save these vital hospital services on Saturday 26th January. [5] We'll be meeting outside the The Anglican Parish Church of Saint Stephen and Saint Mark, Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 5AJ at 11.30am. Are you free to come along too?

Please pop the office team an email so we have enough placards for everyone: ccgsupport@38degrees.org.uk

NOTES
[1] Guardian: Lewisham hospital's fury at �195m bill for A&E closure http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/13...ll-closure
[2] London 24: Lewisham A&E closure proposals 'unsafe, rushed and unjust' http://www.london24.com/news/health/lewi..._1_1785896
Pulse: Lewisham A&E set to close despite CCG opposition http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/commiss...P03GCc02tw
[3] Evening Standard: Hospitals set to handle thousands of extra births 'cannot cope now' http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education...44002.html
[4] 38 Degrees Blog: Update: Breakthrough http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2013/01/16/...akthrough/
[5] Save Lewisham Hospital: Demonstration - 26th January http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/demo...h-january/

lillam

Posts: 129
Joined: Apr 2006

Post: #87

22-01-2013 02:52 PM

�195 million to close it Cursing see you all saturday

michael

Posts: 3,260
Joined: Mar 2005

Post: #88

22-01-2013 03:24 PM

http://www.foresthillsociety.com/2013/01...pital.html

If you would like to join members of the Forest Hill Society on the march, please either meet us at The Capitol (JW Wetherspoon's) on London Road at 10:45am or at Catford Bridge station, where we will be catching the 11:38am Southeastern train service towards Lewisham and London Cannon Street Rail Station.

The march will start at Lewisham Roundabout (by the station) at 12 noon on Saturday 26th January and march past the hospital to Mountsfield Park for a rally, music and giant petition (about two miles).

rshdunlop

Posts: 1,111
Joined: Jun 2008

Post: #89

22-01-2013 05:22 PM

Sent my email - it really does only take a few minutes via the link michael provided.

michael

Posts: 3,260
Joined: Mar 2005

Post: #90

23-01-2013 01:25 PM

It's not often that football matches have to be rescheduled to avoid clashing with a demonstration.
http://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/article...06490.aspx

Even a South African winner of the noble peace prize, Desmond Tutu is supporting the campaign to keep A&E services at Lewisham. http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/...o_axe_A_E/

Please come along and join the biggest march in Lewisham's history this Saturday.

Mr_Numbers

Posts: 513
Joined: May 2012

Post: #91

23-01-2013 02:17 PM

"Millwall Football Club, our players, staff and many thousands of fans have, over the years, had reason to be grateful for the resources, facilities and care we have received from our local hospital."

Fortunately there's nothing like the sort of violence we used to see at footie matches in the old days... Laugh

piglet

Posts: 104
Joined: Apr 2010

Post: #92

24-01-2013 12:46 AM

Interesting debate. I think this is the first time I have actually seen Mr Dowd speak out on an important local issue. I like the way Tessa Jowell arrives towards the very end of the debate and spends her time playing on her ipad in full view of the camera. I understand from a source that she is in favour of closing the A & E Department at Lewisham Hospital!

Heidi is brilliant and an excellent MP. Unlike Dowd who ignores his constituents and is not contactable by phone or email Heidi is truly hard working and dedicated.

--

http://www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/21122960

The proposals to close A&E and maternity services at Lewisham Hospital in south London have been described as "unfair, unwanted, unsafe and unjust".

Leading a Westminster Hall debate on 22 January 2013, the Labour MP for Lewisham East Heidi Alexander criticised the fact that problems at neighbouring South London Healthcare Trust were impacting on Lewisham Hospital.

The proposals to close services at Lewisham have been made by the Trust Special Administrator (TSA), which took over the running of the South London Healthcare Trust, which went into administration during 2012.

Ms Alexander said Lewisham was a "successful and solvent" hospital and criticised public consultation on the plans as "the worst I have ever seen".

A final decision is expected to be taken during February, when the health secretary will have to decide whether to follow the advice of the TSA.

Winding up the debate, Health Minister Anna Soubry said she was legally prevented from expressing an opinion but that a decision would still be taken at the start of February.

She stressed that the decision was nothing to do with government cuts, and was down to the TSA, but pointed out that the South London Healthcare Trust was losing �1m of public money a week.

"We cannot continue with this haemorrhaging of public money," she concluded.

Tinkerbell

Posts: 361
Joined: Dec 2007

Post: #93

24-01-2013 01:03 PM

It's not often that I get off my lazy bum to join a protest march these days, but I'll definitely be there on Sat.

Mr_Numbers

Posts: 513
Joined: May 2012

Post: #94

24-01-2013 03:07 PM

According to SLHT's website...

Quote:

On 1st April 2009 a brand new health organisation came into existence in South London. South London Healthcare NHS Trust is the product of the merger of three smaller hospital trusts - Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust (QMS), Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust (QEH) and Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust (BHT) - to create a single hospital on several sites...

Here's the good part:

Quote:

The merger has taken place after much thinking within the local health community about how we might create the best organisation for delivering top quality health services to local residents in the early part of the 21st century

Now this �400m-a-year budget hospital is "hemorrhaging" �1m a week. Not the cleverest merger in the world.

So on what grounds, exactly, is the stunningly brilliant idea of sucking Lewisham into this black hole going to be a brilliant success???

ForTiger

Posts: 41
Joined: Jan 2011

Post: #95

25-01-2013 04:36 PM

Coverage in today's Guardian and an opinion piece by Polly Toynbee

https://login.yahoo.com/config/login?.in....yahoo.com

michael

Posts: 3,260
Joined: Mar 2005

Post: #96

25-01-2013 05:06 PM

A better link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/j...m-hospital

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/...ts-to-come

Tinkerbell

Posts: 361
Joined: Dec 2007

Post: #97

26-01-2013 07:50 PM

Great turnout today, I guess the weather might have helped! Thumbsup

Pico
No longer registered

Posts: 136
Joined: Nov 2010

Post: #98

26-01-2013 09:01 PM

The atmosphere was brilliant today. There were lots of easy smiles and a sense of purpose. I felt very proud to be a Lewisham resident today.

Thumbsup

shaman

Posts: 71
Joined: Nov 2009

Post: #99

27-01-2013 04:10 AM

Was a very good turnout.

Some pictures here from me: http://entoptika.co.uk/savelewishamae/

edd

Posts: 147
Joined: Mar 2008

Post: #100

27-01-2013 11:19 AM

LOVING the Dumbledore placard!

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