You've let us down
Health bosses have been accused of letting Newark down after revelations that a ward at the town’s hospital is under threat.
The Save Newark Hospital Campaign and the town’s MP, Mr Patrick Mercer, are united against NHS Nottinghamshire County’s decision to replace Newark’s A & E with a minor injuries unit plus and reduce medical beds at the hospital.
Mr Mercer will today write to the Secretary of State for Health, Mr Andrew Lansley, asking him to call in the whole process for an independent review.
The Minister of State for Health, Mr Simon Burns, has agreed to visit the hospital on Thursday to investigate the PCT’s Newark Healthcare Review.
Mr Mercer and the campaign group say the public have been misled by the PCT’s consultation over its plans for the hospital.
The campaign chairman, Dr Ian Campbell, Mr Mercer and the leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, Mr Tony Roberts, said the people of Newark had been let down.
A notice went out to staff at Newark Hospital on Friday saying that, based on current calculations, there will be a need to close one medical ward because the number of patients requiring essential and urgent care will fall.
The PCT says without back-up services like an intensive care unit Newark cannot take these patients.
The notice, from Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, said further work was being done to establish what kinds of patients would replace those lost.
Health bosses say it is impossible to say whether bed numbers at the hospital will change and no decision has been made to close a ward.
NHS Nottinghamshire County’s director of communications, Mr Matt Youdale, denied the public had been misled.
He said: “The reasons for doing this are about quality of care. Therefore, it’s hard to see how this can be seen as letting anybody down.
“Throughout the review we have worked very hard to describe the issues in a consistent and open way.
“We have repeatedly explained the reasons for the review, which are rooted in a desire to ensure the people of Newark get the best possible healthcare.
“The changes in services have been designed by local doctors, who understand why those changes are needed. This work is far from finished. As it progresses, we will continue to share the details with local people.”
