LIB DEMS CALL ON COUNCIL TO SEND EARLY MESSAGE TO NHS OVER FUTURE OF SERVICES AT DEWSBURY DISTRICT HOSPITAL
December 1, 2011 10:01 AM
Cllr Kath Pinnock
The Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust, Kirklees NHS and partners are currently carrying out an early stage consultation on emerging options for their 5 Year Clinical Services Strategy which will shape the future provision of services delivered at Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals.
Two of the options inviting comments include
- removing the provision from Dewsbury District Hospital of consultancy led maternity care and neonatal care for premature or very poorly babies whilst retaining mid-wife led maternity care;
- centralising those services at Pinderfields,
- and centralising, at Pinderfields, care for children who require a hospital stay that exceeds 24hours
Kirklees Lib Dem Group has submitted a motion for debate at the Meeting of Full Council on the 7th December recommending that it informs NHS Kirklees and the Mid Yorkshire Trust that it would not be supportive of these options as it does not consider them to be in line with the needs of best interest of North Kirklees Communities.
Cllr Kath Pinnock (Lib Dem Leader) said:
"Whilst we recognise that the NHS bodies conducting the consultation have not arrived at their final options for the future of Dewsbury District Hospital, we are sufficiently concerned to ask that Full Council takes a view on it at this stage.
"We are naturally supportive of changes which improve care for people and which are delivered in line with local need. However, with infant mortality rates being above the national average in North Kirklees, we are of the view that there is evidence to support the argument that consultant led care and neonatal services should be retained at Dewsbury to meet the needs of the local communities. We are also conscious of the impact that having to travel at distance to access services has on patients and families. Therefore, we don't believe relocating the maternity services and those for children requiring a long stay in hospital is in the best interests of local people. Being in hospital is worrying enough for anyone - let alone children - without being in a strange bed in a different town."
"We want Council to send a strong message to Kirklees NHS and the Mid-Yorkshire Trust that it is against the proposals for maternity and care of children who need to stay in hospital"
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