Better Health Care – not dead but in need of intensive care?

"The Better Healthcare Closer to Home programme will provide 21st Century healthcare designed around the needs of local people.

"Under Better Healthcare Closer to Home, a network of local care centres will provide the majority of services that are currently provided by St Helier Hospital and Epsom General Hospital. They will be supported by a new general hospital for people who are seriously ill."

Well, that’s what it says on the Better Healthcare Closer to Home website, today, 10th September 2007. http://www.betterhealthcare.org.uk/programme/

But Sutton and Merton PCT’s BHCH newsletter, which was published today, makes it clear that the general hospital idea is dead, stating that:

“We have received a report demonstrating that a totally new built hospital on either the Sutton or St Helier sites now looks to be unaffordable..”, and continues on to say that “.. there is no prospect of bridging the gap.”

According to the PCT, the project will now be focusing on providing a mixed new build and refurbishment option at St Helier, with a new building replacing Fergusson House, and the main building being upgraded

But even this is dependent on the money being found for the work, which is acknowledged in NHS-speak by the statement that “The cost of this option would be less than new build, and while there is still an affordability gap, it is much less than other options we have looked at.”

SAVED OUR ST HELIER?

I am relieved that the “Save Our St Helier” campaign led by Liberal Democrat MPs Tom Brake and Paul Burstow and the Lib Dems on Sutton Council, seems to have been successful and that the future of St Helier Hospital has been secured.

But it is hugely disappointing for the people who live and work in Sutton, who were looking forward to having the facilities of a new general hospital to learn that after wasting what must be hundreds of thousands of pounds the new general hospital idea is dead.

LOCAL CARE HOSPITALS SURVIVE

I am delighted to learn that plans for the four local care hospitals at St Helier, Wallington, the Nelson and Wilson have been retained and the PCT will also look into developing a new community and primary care service on the Sutton site.

My Lib Dem colleagues, Jayne McCoy, Richard Bailey and I are committed to working with the PCT and the local health centre in Wallington to ensure that a suitable new facility is built in Wallington South and we are relieved that the Shotfield Health Centre / Local Care Hospital seems to have been preserved.