A TOP local doctor has voiced concerns over how sustainable health services will be at the Alexandra Hospital.
Dr Jonathan Wells, the former chair of Redditch & Bromsgrove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), says the current public consultation document issued by the county’s three CCGs and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) fails to tackle key outstanding issues.
In his submission to the Redditch borough council health commission he says these include:
1) Staffing problems in Accident and Emergency at the Alex. With more services going to Worcester it will be hard to attract talented staff willing to work in what would be an environment with fewer specialities. It is still not known if a full time adult A&E at the Alex is sustainable in the long run.
2) There is no capacity in place elsewhere for pregnant women to have a choice where they give birth.
3) The proposed Urgent Care Centres for children and adults at the Alex and Worcestershire Royal are still at the planning stage.
4) The lack of support services at the Alex due to the drain to Worcester puts acute medicine at the Redditch hospital in jeopardy.
5) There’s also over-reliance on temporary staff in acute medicine at the Alex.
6) Financial viability – WAHT was £59million in debt last year, is projected to be £37million in debt this year yet the changes will only produce savings of £3.5million.
7) The lack of capacity at Worcestershire Royal – it simply does not have enough beds.
8) The failure to secure the £29million funding which the changes depend on to be fully implemented.
9) The failure to engage with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust – the QE – which could help alleviate capacity problems and possibly breathe new life into the Alex.
“This consultation has been all about the changes that have already taken place and does not address those outstanding concerns,” said Dr Wells, “and these are areas of major concern.
“There is simply not the capacity in the system, and the new Sustainability and Transformation Plan is talking about taking 44 per cent of community beds out.
“This plan is predicated on the £29million being provided and that has not been guaranteed – it’s hard to see how the finances stack up.”
The Future of Acute Hospital Services in Worcestershire consultation runs until the end of March 2017. To have your say, visit www.worcsfuturehospitals.co.uk
