THE public meeting I organised on Saturday in Barrow’s Hawcoat Park Sports Club was jam packed – and the message that went out to health bosses was a simple one: Hands off our level 3 intensive care unit at Furness General Hospital.
I arranged the meeting for members of the public to openly discuss proposals to permanently downgrade the unit.
Those proposals are being put forward by members of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board who claim it may be necessary because of a lack of critical care consultants.
Around 80 people had earlier attended Westmorland and Furness Council’s Health and Adult Scrutiny Committee meeting in Barrow town hall on September 24 when they heard about the downgrading plans.
But that assembly was chaotic because people couldn’t properly hear everything that was being said – and members of the public weren’t allowed to take part in the discussion.
I was determined to put that right and I can report almost 200 people were at Saturday’s meeting – which ranks among the best-attended public gatherings in the comparatively recent past.
All members of the ICB were invited to attend – but they declined my invitation.
But that won’t prevent them from hearing about the outrage felt by our families and individuals who are faced with losing this hugely important service.
Under the board’s plans, critically ill patients from this community would be taken by ambulance – along the notorious A590 – to receive care at Lancaster Royal Infirmary.
Retired clinicians, with scores of years’ experience among them and front-line medics one after another took to the microphones to denounce the ICB’s position.
Former nurse Norma Carruthers who spent 39 years at the NHS coal-face – much of it in intensive care – spoke of the perils of transporting very seriously-ill patients.
“I want this to get back to them,” she said. “They are going to have blood on their hands.”
Other tearful residents told of how their loved ones owed their lives to NHS staff working in the level 3 unit.
A consultant said from the floor that he thought the impending downgrading would result in problems recruiting quality staff from other departments which would ultimately lead to closure of the hospital.
Local GP Arabella Onslow paid tribute to the incredible work carried out by medical teams during the Legionella crisis and added: “I’ve worked in Lancaster – they have no value for Barrow – it’s shocking and shameful.”
Intensive care unit medic of 30 years standing Dr Steve Costigan said he would like to pose a question to the ICB.
“How are we going to cope with the next pandemic?” he asked.
Every speaker’s contribution was followed with loud applause.
At the end of the meeting I asked the assembly if they still want level 3 care to remain at FGH.
The forest of arms that went up in the air told its own story.
The meeting was recorded and the questions raised will be given directly to the ICB for response.
I would like to thank everyone who attended, including the huge number of medical staff who were in the hall.
I’m especially grateful to FGH consultant surgeon Dr Ali Warsi for joining me in addressing the assembly and speaking in support of the position we are taking.
My final thanks go to Sam from Hawcoat Park for working with members of my team to make the meeting run so smoothly.
