19 July 2011
Following representations by local doctors to Cotswolds MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, regarding cutbacks to services at Cirencester Hospital, Mr Clifton-Brown convened a meeting of doctors, representing most of the Medical Practices in Cirencester, representatives of Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT), Mark Walkingshaw, the current Commissioner for Services at Cirencester Hospital, and Penny Harris of NHS Gloucestershire last Friday (15 July).
At the meeting it emerged that yet another body with an interest in Cirencester Hospital, the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, had reduced the x-ray service hours and had reduced the maternity clinic service from weekly to fortnightly, without consulting doctors altogether.
It was also revealed that the PCT had withdrawn significant amounts of funding from the Community Nursing services in both North and South Cotswolds, again with virtually no consultation. The PCT's justification for doing this was that they implemented a new Government funding formula, which the PCT said would allocate funds more fairly throughout Gloucestershire. The doctors present stated that the formula was seriously flawed as it does not take into account the extra costs of providing services in a very rural area. As a consequence, the representative from the PCT undertook to re-examine the formula to see how this grievance could be addressed.
Reacting angrily on this matter Mr Clifton-Brown said: "I have regular meetings with local health chiefs and at no point was I informed of these changes. It is unacceptable for any substantial changes to be imposed on Cirencester Hospital and other health provisions in the Cotswolds without consultation with doctors and myself."
During the meeting another issue that surfaced was that the contract to provide operations at Cirencester Hospital with UK Specialist Hospitals (UKSH) was seriously unsubscribed as doctors throughout Gloucestershire were not referring enough patients to Cirencester Hospital. The cost of this to the PCT as a result of the five year, unbreakable, contract which was entered into with UKSH now stands at £500,000 per month, which is wasted as a result of not enough operations taking place.
Commenting on this Mr Clifton-Brown said: "This is a shocking waste of money and greater efforts must be made by the PCT and others to encourage more patients to be referred to Cirencester Hospital, particularly as the outcome of operations undertaken at Cirencester Hospital is of a very high standard, with very few complications."
Following the meeting Mr Clifton-Brown highlighted his anxiety for the outlook for Cirencester Hospital: "I am very concerned about the future of Cirencester Hospital. This is because one can foresee a scenario where the Minor Injuries Unit has its hours reduced, and reduced to a level where it is no longer viable, the operating theatre provision could be lost at the end of the five year contract and Cirencester Hospital could simply become a unit only for those recovering from operations."
"All of this is totally contrary to the Government's policy of providing care closer to the patient and giving the patient greater choice, and I hope that all parties will be able to work to rectify the current situation.
At the meeting it emerged that yet another body with an interest in Cirencester Hospital, the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, had reduced the x-ray service hours and had reduced the maternity clinic service from weekly to fortnightly, without consulting doctors altogether.
It was also revealed that the PCT had withdrawn significant amounts of funding from the Community Nursing services in both North and South Cotswolds, again with virtually no consultation. The PCT's justification for doing this was that they implemented a new Government funding formula, which the PCT said would allocate funds more fairly throughout Gloucestershire. The doctors present stated that the formula was seriously flawed as it does not take into account the extra costs of providing services in a very rural area. As a consequence, the representative from the PCT undertook to re-examine the formula to see how this grievance could be addressed.
Reacting angrily on this matter Mr Clifton-Brown said: "I have regular meetings with local health chiefs and at no point was I informed of these changes. It is unacceptable for any substantial changes to be imposed on Cirencester Hospital and other health provisions in the Cotswolds without consultation with doctors and myself."
During the meeting another issue that surfaced was that the contract to provide operations at Cirencester Hospital with UK Specialist Hospitals (UKSH) was seriously unsubscribed as doctors throughout Gloucestershire were not referring enough patients to Cirencester Hospital. The cost of this to the PCT as a result of the five year, unbreakable, contract which was entered into with UKSH now stands at £500,000 per month, which is wasted as a result of not enough operations taking place.
Commenting on this Mr Clifton-Brown said: "This is a shocking waste of money and greater efforts must be made by the PCT and others to encourage more patients to be referred to Cirencester Hospital, particularly as the outcome of operations undertaken at Cirencester Hospital is of a very high standard, with very few complications."
Following the meeting Mr Clifton-Brown highlighted his anxiety for the outlook for Cirencester Hospital: "I am very concerned about the future of Cirencester Hospital. This is because one can foresee a scenario where the Minor Injuries Unit has its hours reduced, and reduced to a level where it is no longer viable, the operating theatre provision could be lost at the end of the five year contract and Cirencester Hospital could simply become a unit only for those recovering from operations."
"All of this is totally contrary to the Government's policy of providing care closer to the patient and giving the patient greater choice, and I hope that all parties will be able to work to rectify the current situation.
