Health authority told - hands off Malvern's hospital

The warning comes after clinical commissioning groups in Worcestershire announced that they are seeking combined savings of £25 million.

And among the savings being considered is a reduction in the 300 beds in the county’s community hospitals, including Malvern.

The public have been asked to have their say on the proposals.

Town and county councillor for the Link ward Paul Tuthill said: “My personal message is: keep your bureaucratic hands off a hospital that works well and is well liked and respected in the Malvern community.”

He said he has been shocked to hear of the proposal, as he had been closely involved in the lobbying that led to the opening of the Worcester Road hospital in 2010.

“Being a county councillor, I always ask people of their experiences in Worcestershire hospitals. Invariably Malvern hospital receives glowing feedback and indeed some patients have made the point that staff frequently go the extra mile for patients.”

“Early in the days of the hospital project, people came in their droves to public meetings to show their support and determination.

Malvern Town council played a key role in arranging and publicising the meetings.

“A lot of effort went into the hospital. So why on earth does some meddling NHS bureaucrat want to upset the apple cart and cause concern?

Cllr Tuthill says he is prepared to put an emergency motion defending the hospital to Malvern Town Council, and call a public meeting if necessary.

Former town and district councillor Mile Soley has also raised his voice in defence of the hospital. He said: “As a councillor before the last elections, I spent many hours, days,weeks and months working with like-minded people to get a new hospital built for Malvern.

“I am now mortified to read that some bureaucratic band of people who seem not to care for Malvern folk are thinking of downgrading this fantastic hospital.

“Be well aware the good people of Malvern supported our efforts to get the hospital and I am sure will rise again to keep it open. Keep your hands off our hospital.”

The Friends of Malvern Community Hospital were unavailable for comment.

The three Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Worcestershire which buy health services are projected to spend £25 million over budget in 2016/17 unless efficiency savings are made from their combined budget of £717 million.

NHS leaders say the savings are necessary because of an increasing and unsustainable demand for a wide range of services.

Suggestions include reducing some of the 300 beds in the county’s five community hospitals in Malvern, Pershore, Evesham, Tenbury and Bromsgrove, and three social care centres, caring for people in their own homes instead.

Other potential solutions include reducing the opening hours of minor injuries units like the one in Malvern, restricting , restricting access to cataract surgery for people with minor vision difficulties (£3 million a year) and restricting treatments for patients with unhealthy lifestyles such as heavy drinkers, smokers and obese people.

Other areas being looked at include restricting access to knee and hip replacements and restricting access to hearing aids for people with mild hearing loss.

The public has been asked to complete a tick box questionnaire for their views.

A spokesman for the three CCGs said: “No decisions or even formal proposals are being made; this is just a very broad engagement exercise to see what people think.

“The results of this survey will inform future plans we make as healthcare commissioners and further engagement work will follow.

“If any of these ideas are considered in more detail in the future then we would undertake a more formal consultation with the public, providing clear proposals, the reason for these proposals, and invite further public discussion about such plans.

The survey will remain open until May 30.

It can be obtained from GP surgeries or online from the CCG websites.

The public has been asked to complete a tick box questionnaire for their views.

A spokesman for the three CCGs said: “No decisions or even formal proposals are being made; this is just a very broad engagement exercise to see what people think.

“The results of this survey will inform future plans we make as healthcare commissioners and further engagement work will follow.

“If any of these ideas are considered in more detail in the future then we would undertake a more formal consultation with the public, providing clear proposals, the reason for these proposals, and invite further public discussion about such plans.

The survey will remain open until May 30.

It can be obtained from GP surgeries or online from the CCG websites.