I wanted to provide a quick update on the campaign against the plans to permanently downgrade level 3 critical care at Furness General Hospital.
So far we’ve been successful in delaying these plans, and I want to thank everyone for everything they have done. However, the proposals are still ‘on the table’ the ICB has not backed down, and we need to keep the pressure on.
Public Consultation
I have been clear that these proposals will be disastrous for our area, and local people need a proper say in this decision. I’ve therefore been calling for a full public consultation before any decisions are made.
I’m pleased that NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB has listened to this and that they will now be applying for a consultation in the New Year.
It will then be for NHS England to decide on whether there will be a consultation, and I would ask local people to join me in letting them know that this is absolutely essential.
You can make your views known here.
Public Meeting – report
Many of you attended the public meeting in October to give local people a chance to share their views about this issue. It was fantastic to see nearly 200 people turned up to send a clear message to health bosses: hands off our level 3 intensive care unit at Furness General Hospital.
After the meeting I shared the report with NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, who have now confirmed that the information we shared will be included in the “pre-consultation business case” that will go to NHS England. You can read the report HERE.
Holding the ICB to account
I was very disappointed to see the ICB make misleading claims about the work it had done to attract staff to work at Furness General and I was pleased to see them clarify that they did not offer “30k recruitment incentive as they had claimed. UHMBT did not offer ‘£30k recruitment incentive’ for ICU | The Mail
Their case for permanently closing level 3 critical care at FGH is that they cannot recruit the staff needed. However, it has been clear from the start that not every possible avenue has been pursued.
Even so, the ICB’s own data shows that good progress had already been made on recruitment over the last year. We now need to build on that and see a proper plan put in place that will move us towards being able to reopen level 3 critical care at FGH.
I know that our local community – including the local businesses who have made concrete offers of support – stand ready to play their part in attracting the staff needed.
Equality Impact Assessment
I have been working to try and get the ICB to share the Quality Impact Assessment they did when they came up with this proposal. Until recently they had only provided a part of this document but I am pleased that they have now published the full report where they confirm that the proposals will have a negative impact on disabled people, carers, older people, and the most deprived communities.
Defence Select Committee
I have taken every opportunity to raise this issue with Ministers and in Parliament. Most recently I raised it in the Defence Committee to highlight the negative impact it will have on the work we do locally to keep our nation safe.
What can you do to support the campaign?
