Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary came to Redditch last Thursday ahead of the forthcoming Local & European elections to lend his support speaking to voters in Winyates and listening to their concerns about the cost of living crisis.
Rebecca
Blake, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Redditch especially wanted him to
hear from local people about how recent proposals calling for maternity to be
cut at the Alex and moved to Worcester would affect them.
Andy
heard from local mums, NHS staff and points made by the Save the Alex
campaign. Andy said "I've heard from local mums that one of the problems for people in
Redditch having to travel to Worcester Royal instead of the Alex is
geography. I've just come from Worcester
and experienced the road works and delays for myself and I understand public
transport between Redditch and Worcester is infrequent and takes too long.
"As Health Secretary I would want to know the implications for neighbouring hospitals if births were cut from the Alex. Hospitals shouldn't be dealt with in isolation because changes to one have knock effects on neighbouring hospitals. The people of Redditch and its neighbours deserve a detailed review of services across the wider health economy and to be properly consulted before any decisions are made".
"As Health Secretary I would want to know the implications for neighbouring hospitals if births were cut from the Alex. Hospitals shouldn't be dealt with in isolation because changes to one have knock effects on neighbouring hospitals. The people of Redditch and its neighbours deserve a detailed review of services across the wider health economy and to be properly consulted before any decisions are made".
Rebecca
has written to NHS England requesting a review of maternity capacity. Rebecca stated
"If births are cut from the Alex
women will go out of county to have their babies. I have requested NHS England initiate a
review of maternity capacity that extends Worcestershire Acute Trust and takes
in all hospitals that would be effected by cutting births at the Alex. I want to see in black and white just how 2100
births a year will be safely accommodated when neighbouring hospitals are
already short on maternity beds".
Bincy
mum of two, who had both babies at the Alex said
"If the Alex maternity ward is cut it would not be fair and it's a big
price for future mums in Redditch to have to pay".
Copy of my letter to NHS England
As you know I do not support
the latest recommendation from the Independent Clinical Panel that maternity
should be taken from the Alex in Redditch and move to Worcester Royal.
Maternity in Redditch,
Worcester and Birmingham is already under pressure, with mums in Redditch and
Worcester regularly being taken by ambulance to a hospital further away due to
lack of beds. This state of affairs is a
strong reason for consultant led maternity to remain in Redditch.
It is universally agreed that
currently there is not enough provision to absorb the 2100 births that take
place each year at the Alex. Any extra
investment to rectify this would be better spent on going towards funding existing
arrangements.
What underpins my concern
about losing maternity in Redditch is that the travel times and distances to
what would be the nearest consultant led maternity departments are too long
& too far. In addition as a
principle I believe that a DGH such as the Alex that serves the populations of
Redditch, Bromsgrove, South Birmingham and West Warwickshire, a population of
approximately 225,000 people requires a CLU.
I would like to request that
NHS England initiate a review of maternity capacity that extends Worcestershire
Acute Trust and takes in all hospitals that would be effected by cutting births
at the Alex. Including Birmingham
Women's, Solihull MLU & Heartlands and if mums from West Warwickshire would
have used the Alex, the review may need to take in Warwick Hospital too.
I consider this to be crucial
knowledge that must be evidenced prior to any decisions to cut maternity
services at the Alex.
The current decision making
process is missing the strategic overview that is necessary to serve the local
health economy in terms of maternity and I fear grave consequences of these
decisions made in isolation.
In my view there is time for
this work to take place, while the affordability of the Independent Clinical
Panel's recommendations are worked up and given the consultation on them is
still to be had. Finally, if this has
already taken place, the results must be put into the public domain.
I look forward to your reply.
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