Treat us same as neighbours

A motion pushing for Newark to offer the same level of hospital services as those in nearby towns was last night being put to Newark Town Council.

The motion, proposed by Mr Paul Baggaley, called on the council to write to the health authorities asking for Newark to be upgraded to a similar level as hospitals in Grantham and Worksop.

Mr Baggaley, also secretary of the Say Yes to Newark Hospital Campaign, said: “They are places of a similar size and a similar distance from major hospitals to Newark, but have more facilities.

“Newark has the Growth Point coming so the population is expected to grow by 50% by 2026. We have the highest percentage of over-65s in the county and they are the heaviest users of emergency care.

“We have the highest proportion of road accidents causing injury or death in the county.

“All the evidence would suggest we should have a higher level of emergency care. Not to have that would be unsafe.”

Newark currently has a Minor Injuries Unit and the most serious emergencies, such as heart attacks, chest pains, strokes and major trauma are taken to hospitals such as Lincoln County and King’s Mill.

Bassetlaw Hospital in Worksop has an A&E department, while Grantham has a critical care unit that provides 24-hour A&E services.

Grantham can stabilise the highest category emergency cases before patients are transferred to other hospitals.

Mr Baggaley said his motion was not suggesting Newark should have a full A&E, but basic levels of emergency care.

“Patients can be stabilised at Newark because it happened to me in 2010 when I had a heart attack,” he said.

“I was given clot-busting drugs and pain relief so it just shows it can be done.

“We are talking about low levels of emergency care.”

He said Newark had the equipment to provide the services, but had lost the staff.

He said he would like an independent review to look into the services it can offer.

“If health professionals, such as the hospital trust or clinical commissioning group, can’t agree on what we should have then somebody independent should look at it,” he said.

The deputy leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Mr Martin Suthers, who was quizzed about the possibility of an independent review during a public debate about hospital services last week, told the Advertiser he did not see the point of another one.

“This issue has twice been referred to the secretary of state by the health scrutiny committee and twice he has said he is content without an independent review,” he said.

“I am not quite sure who would have the authority to appoint to an independent panel, what its remit would be or who it would report to.”

He said he was satisfied that the hospital trust and the health regulator, Monitor, wanted to maximise the use of facilities at Newark.

Dr Mark Jefford, clinical lead for NHS Newark and Sherwood Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The secretary of state for health has twice backed the findings of the Newark Healthcare Review and this decision has also been supported by the local authority’s health scrutiny committee.

“I think it is important that we now channel our energies into helping shape the future of healthcare in the town.

“That future will include Newark Hospital as a vibrant and vital part of the local health community which offers high quality and safe services to local patients.

“We are committed to ensuring that patients receive the right care, in the right place, first time.

“The overwhelming international evidence is that local people who suffer a stroke or heart attack should be taken directly to a specialist hospital where they can be treated by expert clinicians 24/7 as their chance of survival and recovery is improved substantially.”