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.

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.

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

Earlier this year athttp://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/health/king_george_hospital_a_e_closure_plans_to_be_worked_out_in_next_six_to_nine_months_1_4076969

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

Bed Cuts at BHRUT board meeting

Stand out news from meeting earlier today is acute bed cuts at King George and Queens Hospitals.

King George has gone down from 293 to 265 beds and Queens from 645 to 641.

Overall 938 beds have reduced to 906, a loss of 32 beds, 3.4% of the total.

Time after time board members say the Trust need more capacity, it is baffling that they are reducing the ability of our hospitals to cope this winter. Japonica ward is now empty at King George, it seems the seems the plan to close King George Hospital A&E is proceeding by stealth. 

On 27 October 2011 the Department of Health issued a statement announcing the closure of King George Hospital A&E. The following safety lock was provided at the time, it now seems discarded.

“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.”

The full statement is at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/barking-havering-and-redbridge-university-hospitals-nhs-trust

The photo below is of Save King George Hospital supporters outside Queens Hospital where the board meeting took place.

Photoshoot Wednesday 2nd September 8:30am Outside Queens Hospital

The below went out to Havering and Redbridge Councillors earlier today

Dear Councillors

Earlier this year, Matthew Hopkins the Chief Executive of BHRUT said plans to close KGH A&E would be published in the near future per King George Hospital A&E downgrade plans to be worked out ‘in next six to nine months’

				King George Hospital A&E downgrade plans to be worke... The chief executive of the trust which runs King George Hospital has said initial planning for the downgrading of the A&E department will start in the next “six to ...
				View on www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk	Preview by Yahoo

There will be a photoshoot outside against Queens Hospital on Wednesday 2nd September at 8:30am before the 9am BHRUT board meeting to ask the board to postpone the publication of these closure plans and instead call for a review of the closure due to the sharp increase in the local population in the four boroughs served by Queens and King George Hospitals. Questions can be tabled before the meeting.

The closure programme is about to commence with the loss of three acute wards from King George Hospital to make way for community beds announced to take place later this year at a recent Redbridge Health Scrutiny Committee.

Several Cllrs have already confirmed attendance and it would be great if you could make it too the 2nd and/or circulate this email to all those you know who may be interested. 

Regards

Andy

Meetings with Roger Evans GLA member and Cllr. Wendy Brice-Thompson

Save King George Hospital A&E supporters met with Roger Evans GLA member for Havering and Redbridge and Cllr Wendy Brice-Thompson, Havering Council to discuss their concerns about the forthcoming plans to close KGH A&E.

Roger gave us most of his morning and will consider the points we raised.

A second meeting took place with Cllr Wendy Brice-Thompson, Havering Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services & Health.

Councillor Wendy Brice-Thompson supports a review of the decision to close King George's A&E due to increasing pressures on services locally due to the unprecedented population rise over the last couple of years.

Photoshoot Wednesday 15th July 8:30am Fulwell Cross Medical Centre

Save KGH Campaigners will be outside the Fulwell Cross Medical Centre 1 Tomswood Hill, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex, IG6 2HG on Wednesday 15th July at 8:30am to launch a petition to call for a review of the proposed closure of KGH A&E.

The surgery has been chosen for the launch because Dr Metha who is GP at the Centre is also Chair of Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group which supports closing KGH A&E.