Thursday, October 29, 2015

Public Meeting Report Back

Thank you to everyone attending.

Charlotte Monro gave an inspirational speech on why whistleblowers are vital to the protection of our NHS. Bill Howe spoke on the difficulties of getting information from BHRUT. A discussion was had on to take the campaign forward and the next event will be posted up in due course.

The meeting agreed to write the following letter to Mr Hunt the Secretary of State for Health. I will put in the reply when I receive it,

Dear Mr Hunt

Request to help King George and Queens Hospitals

On 27 October 2011 plans were passed by Andrew Lansley, then Secretary of State for Health, to close King George Hospital A&E. The following guarantee was given that no residents would come to harm as a consequence of the closure:

"The Health Secretary today 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.

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

This guarantee was broken earlier this year when 24 beds were removed from King George Hospital, a hospital that is in special measures rather than of a high standard. August key safety indicators at the King George and Queens Hospitals declined as a consequence. Beds have also been removed from Queens hospital, the second hospital which makes up our local trust which will also lead to a decline in care.

We ask you to honour the guarantee we were given and intervene to replace the beds, doctors and nurses that have been removed from our hospitals.



Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Fourth anniversary of A&E closure plan


Today is the fourth anniversary of the plan to close KGH A&E by the Andrew Lansley, then Secretary of State for Health. The A&E remains open, but acute beds have been closed at King George Hospital in breach of the guarantee given by Andrew Lansley that no changes were to take place  until the CQC found our services to be of a high standard.

Since 2011 care has got worse at Queens  and King George hospitals with both hospitals in special measures. The October board papers show beds being closed in August at Ash and Clover wards due to staff shortages. It is a  concern that the uncertainty about the A&E closure along with 32 acute  bed cuts in July of this year have been contributory factors to the decline in care shown in the October BHRUT board papers.

Earlier this year, Matthew Hopkins was reported in the Ilford Recorder saying that KGH A&E closure plans were to be produced within 9 months.

 The BHRUT board need to think again and abandon any closure plans. It is clear that with a growing population our hospitals need extra capacity rather than less which the closure of KGH A&E would mean.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Public Meeting Wednesday 28th October Fulwell Cross Library 7.30pm

Say no to the proposed closure of King George A&E

Public Meeting 28th October 7:30pm Fulwell Cross Library

Speakers

Bob Archer -Redbridge Trades Council

Bill Howe - Health Campaigner 

Charlotte Monro - Health Worker




Matthew Hopkins the Chief Executive of BHRUT said plans to close King George A&E were to be published within 9 months.

July saw the loss of 24 acute beds at King George as part of the closure plan. August (the most recent statistics available) saw a decline in key safety measures at KGH such as.

1)  A&E waiting times
 2) MRSA
3) 12 hour trolley waits
4) Cancer targets for 31, 62 and 104 days were missed 
5) BHRUT admit they cannot met standards which may affect the safety of patients
6) The medical staff are voting with their feet with turnover rising by month by month to 25.95% in August
7) Medical vacancies are also rising month by month to hit 16%
 8) The situation is in danger of deteriorating further with more beds closing in August because BHRUT could not staff them  An unprecedented situation.

The meeting will call for the plan to close our A&E to be abandoned. 

The statistics above are in the October BHRUT board papers here http://www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/Boardpapers131015.pdf