Reassurance from hospital

BOSSES at Nuneaton’s hospital have once again dismissed rumours about the future of their services.

The George Eliot Hospital is looking to reassure patients and staff amid uncertainties, particularly around A&E. It comes after Coventry and Warwickshire’s Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) was released in December setting out the need to bridge the local NHS funding gap of £267m which will exist by 2020 if services stay the same in the region.

It was publicly released on December 6 but the corporatestyle terminology was criticised as being “vague” and “opaque” amid fears of reductions in services to cope with the enormous funding gap.

Critics also hit out at the lack of detail in the STP – although the plan did confirm a review of the “sustainability of the current urgent and emergency care system, including the review of access points at GEH and UHCW”, while also highlighting the need for capital to “right size” the A&E department in Coventry due to “GEH and UHCW collaboration activity”.

The STP board has previously said the document is “the start of the process where we will develop plans” and this message has been repeated by the board at George Eliot. Chairman Stuart Annan said in a statement that no decisions have been made.

The statement added: “The Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), published in December last year is a starting point, containing aspirations for our local health care system to achieve. Unfortunately, despite the firmest of denials from the STP in Coventry and Warwickshire, speculation about the future of the hospital and our services continues. These rumours continue to circulate and are nat- urally causing unnecessary anxiety among our staff, patients and community.

“The Board and I are taking this opportunity to reassure our patients, staff and local community that there are no plans or decisions made to close any of our services, including A&E, maternity and paediatrics here at the George Eliot Hospital.

“There will be no changes to our existing services or structure without a recommendation from the Board, based on patient safety and public con- sultation. The Board remains committed to George Eliot Hospital remaining as a District General Hospital and teaching facility.”

Campaigners hoping to ensure NHS services are sustained across Coventry and Warwickshire are hosting meetings. One was held in Coventry on Tuesday evening by the group ‘NHS SOS’. The meeting was held to build a campaign against the STP.

A meeting was also hosted in Nuneaton by the ‘Stop the cuts to the George Eliot hospital’ group on Saturday.