Health shake-up plans in spotlight
HEALTH chiefs addressed a packed crowd to explain how services in Hinckley must change to ensure their future viability in the face of an ageing population.
A consultation day was organised by West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, the body which pays for and plans NHS care in the borough.
Proposals which have emerged over the last year or more were discussed, including the closure of Hinckley and District Hospital in Mount Road, expansion of services at Hinckley Community Hospital on Ashby Road and refurbishment of Hinckley Health Centre.
Around 124 members of the public, including local councillors, residents, NHS staff and carers turned out to hear presenta- tions from CCG leaders.
Borough and county Lib Dem councillor David Bill was there and said: “Most of the presentations were on the principle of treating people in their own homes or as close to home as possible. I thought it was very well organised and I hope all the points which were made from people across the room will be taken on board.
“Two issues seem apparent to me and they are that all these proposals are subject to a £7.5 million funding bid among dozens of other bids and also we have to put our local services in the context of the current crisis in the wider NHS.”
If the money is made available, and subject to public consultation, the CCG want to create an urgent care hub at Hinckley Health Centre on Mount Road, retain outpatient appointments on site with extra clinical rooms and better diagnostics as well as provide physiotherapy, X-ray and ultrasound from there.
The Sunnyside site will have one ward for inpatient beds - people recovering from operations and needing support or people requiring palliative care - one ward for planned care beds and a self contained unit for day case theatre and endoscopy.
Inpatient beds will be reduced as rehabilitation services will be offered in people’s homes. Despite a popular protest campaign there is no planned reprieve for the Victorian cottage hospital on Mount Road, which is seen as not fit for purpose.
Dr Nick Willmott, GP in Hinckley and Bosworth and clinical lead at the CCG said: “The discussion on the tables were extremely useful, with everyone contributing their thoughts on our proposals for the area. People told us they had found the event valuable and the thoughts and information, questions and ideas which were shared with us will now be fed back into the process to ensure everyone’s voice continues to be heard.”
Presentations are available for those who were unable to attend at https://www.westleicestershireccg.nhs.uk/page/information-previous-events
A further consultation event is planned for the end of February.