Community hospital reprieve

Feb 5 2010 by Jackie Grant, Dumfries Standard Friday

COMMUNITY hospitals across the region have been saved from closure for at least 18 months after a surprise U-turn by the health board.

NHS chiefs announced on Wednesday that a public consultation exercise on plans to revamp its “clinical services strategy” would be put on hold until after the Scottish Government elections next summer.

But campaigners and politicians have vowed to fight on to save five community hospitals in the region.

The health board’s preferred option was to close facilities in Kirkcudbright, Langholm, Lochmaben, Moffat and Thornhill.

But its chairman Mike Keggans confirmed that they would suspend the process until after the Scottish Parliamentary elections next year.

He said: “The decision to pause the process is to afford the board a further opportunity to review the options and consider how they might be enhanced to reflect the views of the public.

“In making this decision, the board acknowledges the tremendous commitment given by many staff in taking this very important consultation forward over many months. This work will continue to form the basis of our review going forward.”

He added: “At this stage it is difficult to put an exact timescale for this review. However, in noting that we will have a new NHS board in June, it will be important that new members have time to fully understand the issues and challenges facing the NHS before presenting the enhanced options to them for consideration.

“I also recognise that with the Scottish Parliamentary elections due in 2011, it is unlikely that the opportunity to consult again will take place until after those elections. I anticipate therefore, that the formal consultation on the revised options would commence in the summer of 2011.”

Scott Jardine, who has fought tirelessly to save Thornhill Hospital, said that although he’s pleased it has been given a reprieve, he is angry that Upper Nithsdale residents won’t be allowed to have their say at a public meeting the health board promised to hold.

He said: “I had 4,000 leaflets printed to let people know a public meeting would be going ahead.

“Questions still need to be answered, like why has this gone to dust now? We’re engaged in a process here that’s not going to be completed.

“Had it not been for us bringing this issue to the notice of the public, and the public reacting in such a strong way across the region, we would have been facing closures at any time. This has been an enormous struggle.

“Mike Keggans has congratulated staff, but what about the thousands of people across the region who have gone to extraordinary efforts to save our community hospitals?”

Galloway and Upper Nithsdale MSP Alex Fergusson said: “I am somewhat bemused at the abrupt nature of this decision. I can only put it down to the extent of the public reaction to the board’s preferred Option C, which has been both forceful and constant.

“If this was indeed a genuine consultation exercise taking the views of the public into full account there is no way the board could have continued with Option C.

“I am therefore not entirely surprised that they have decided to think again on the options put forward. No doubt the newly elected members of the board will have some strong views on what those options should involve.”

Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell said the news was a “victory” for community campaigners and congratulated them on their efforts.

Jim Hume, Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland, welcomed the announcement with caution and said the health board must take time to re-evaluate the overwhelming views of the public.

He added: “I sincerely hope that the health board will come up with more imaginative options next summer which centre around multi faceted healthcare provision in community hospitals. Blanket closure is not an option.”