Loughton Residents Association

LRA

NHS and Local Health matters

Local NHS Services West Essex System Integrated QIPP and Reform Plan
For details of the West Essex Integrated QIPP (Quality, Innovation Productivity and Prevention - the opportunities for improving care and treatment while making resources go further) and Reform Plan, created jointly with local GPs, NHS trusts and Essex County Council please see here

New Essex Local Healthwatch Pathfinder Executive
This is being set up to safeguard patients’ interests in the NHS. There will be an Executive Committee, which must represent the different interests and areas of Essex, and Associates – we would like to see Loughton represented on the Executive, and also to have as many local Associates as possible. Details.
Latest letter. If you have any further questions about the Pathfinder, or about would like to discuss getting involved, please contact Duncan Wood on Dduncan.wood@essex.gov.uk

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust

• the Health Secretary has accepted a report by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) on the Health for North East London clinical case for change, which includes the best future for Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.

• no changes will take place until the Care Quality Commission, which has published its own report on local services, has assured the Secretary of State that the services provided by Queen’s Hospital and other local health services are of a high standard.

• the IRP recommendations also require a vision for the future of King George’s Hospital in Ilford to have been presented prior to implementation.

• the publication of the IRP report follows immediately from publication by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of the findings of its recent inspection visits to Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. The CQC has identified key failings in the Trust’s maternity care, as well as issues in radiology and emergency care. Action has already been taken by the Trust to address the CQC’s immediate concerns about maternity services.

• A&E and maternity at KGH will close.

Further details at http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2011/10/27/barking-havering-redbridge-university-hospitals-nhs-trust/

Further development of urgent care across west Essex. NHS West Essex is now making a significant investment in local services to bring about four key changes:

  • a single point of access to adult community health services across west Essex covering Harlow, Epping Forest and Uttlesford

  • enhanced adult community service provision at weekends and Bank Holidays

  • piloting GP working in the assessment cell at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow (PAH)

  • ambulatory care at PAH

For more information, please contact Toni Coles, Interim Deputy Director of Development – West, 01992 566140 or toni.coles@westessexpct.nhs.uk.

For further information about the community services elements of these developments you can also email Teresa Morgan, Director of Clinical Development, West Essex Community Health Services or phone 01279 827479.

Princess Alexandra Hospital
 Princess Alexandra hospital in Harlow needs to cut £17 million from its budget this financial year and a further £22 million over the following two years, and has announced cuts of up to 250 staff and 60 beds. More.
See also the hospital trust Board papers

The current stroke unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital no longer offers patients the best environment for their care needs - it will shortly move into the main hub of the hospital where more modern facilities are available and patients can be offered greater privacy during their stay. There will also be a number of ward moves which will see better use of the site’s accommodation and create three single sex wards. The moves will enable greater control over the prevention of hospital acquired infections as well as ensuring patients are closer to the specialists who care for them. Relocation work is due to begin this month and to be completed by the end of December.

Come along to the local NHS Trust Board Meetings
If you have an interest in healthcare matters, then there is an open invitation for staff, patients or members of the public to attend the public part of these meetings - please contact Michelle Penney 01279 827080 or Michelle.Penney@pah.nhs.uk. More information More about the agenda and board papers:

Review of Whipps Cross Hospital and other NHS services in NE London
The joint committees of the primary care trusts (JCPCT) met in public on December 15th to consider proposals for urgent and emergency care, maternity, children’s services and the vision for King George Hospital, Ilford. For the details of what they decided, see http://www.healthfornel.nhs.uk/
More.

Whipps Cross hospital merger.
The hospital trust is pressing on with a proposed merger with two other hospital trusts, which it hopes will allow it to meet its financial targets.

  • details
  • a public “engagement” event is planned for Wednesday September 7th – more details when we receive them.

Note: apart from any other financial pressures, as some services are moved from hospitals into the communities this inevitably means less money for the hospitals, and a need for them to cut-back.

The Secretary of State has now asked for a full review of whether proposed changes to local health services in north east London will enable the provision of safe, sustainable and accessible services for the local population, by July 22nd.
More
Regular updates on the programme

The following documents are also available:

  • Overview of the Health for north east London programme, consultation and next steps;
  • Summary of the decisions made; and
  • Borough summary reports for Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Waltham Forest, City and Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Essex. These reports help to outline what the changes will mean for local residents.

The review panel can be contacted at info@irpanel.org.uk or by calling 020 7389 8046. LRA generally supports the proposals as they affect Loughton residents, who are large users of NE London services. However, we are concerned about the present state of Queens' Hospital. Although it has examples of excellence to offer, the received wisdom in the area is that it offers poor standards in other areas, and before the proposed changes are put into effect it needs to be much improved.
More

Whipps Cross Hospital NHS Trust - merger proposal with Barts and The London and Newham NHS Trusts, New merger project website.

Cancer & palliative care directory of NHS and other services: NHS
http://www.westessexcancerinformation.nhs.uk/documents/Directory2008.pdf

Other NHS & Health matters