Extension & Maternity Mysteries

 Last night at a Council meeting I asked Dr Mike Gill, a senior BHRUT manager, about how many beds the proposed A&E extension at Queens was going to have in it. His reply was something along the lines about the size of the building being down to financial modelling which meant he could not be specific about the number of beds. Perhaps money, rather than clinical reasons, is driving what is going on at BHRUT. 

Later on, the same meeting was told that money was so tight a boiler could not be replaced at St Georges Hospital in Hornchurch which meant beds were going to have to be closed. If BHRUT were not planning to spend large sums of money on an unnecessary A&E extension at Queens it might have the money to keep the existing estate up to standard.  

Maybe the special council meeting on 22 October about KGH will write to Mr Hunt with this latest news. It is incomprehensible that BHRUT want to spend many millions on a new A&E building  at Queens to allow the closure of KGH A&E. Neil Zammett asked a question about whether the final decision on KGH maternity had been made yet and was told it had not been. It seems Clinical Commissioning Groups will have a say in the matter, which is contrary to the press reports indicating the final decision has been taken.

I have sent this post to BHRUT in case they want to comment.

Press links are below:

http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/news/no_more_births_at_redbridge_s_only_maternity_unit_from_early_2013_health_chiefs_decide_1_1524286

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/rbnews/9943440.REDBRIDGE__Maternity_unit_to_close_in_early_2013_at_borough_s_only_hospital/