Complicated but Important Consulation on the future of local hospitals
The NHS in North West London is carrying out a major public consultation on proposed changes to the way some NHS services are provided in the area. This includes services provided at West Middlesex Hospital.
The plan is to reduce providing Accident & Emergency (A&E), maternity and paediatric services from nine hospitals to five hospitals. West Middlesex Hospital currently provides all of these services and also has an excellent specialist stroke unit.
NHS North West London has set out three options for which five hospitals would continue to provide these services. NHS North West London’s preferred option is OPTION A, claiming that:
"For Hounslow residents, OPTION A would keep West Middlesex as a major hospital ensuring local access to A&E, maternity, paediatric and stroke services.
"In addition OPTION A would:
- make best use of hospital buildings – West Middlesex hospital has been recently built and is in very good condition
- deliver best value for money
- mean less overall movement of services across North West London and therefore less disruption than OPTIONS B and C in the consultation. "
You can view a slide show presentation from Tonie Neville, General Manager and Head of Midwifery, and Cathy Hill, General Manager Surgery at West Middlesex University Hospital to IBAF (Isleworth and Brentford Forum).
If you look at Ealing Hospital SOS there is a very different view which encourages you to reject all options. Ealing Hospital SOS has produced a detailed consultation response guide as well as a summary consultation guide to help people understand that the consultation does not cover all options and is designed to get support for the NWL preference to close 4 A&E departments and restrict the availability to their preferred hospitals.
To respond to the consultation you can:
email consultation@nw.london.nhs.uk directly
complete the full online questionnaire from NHS North West London’s consultation document.
September 28, 2012