Public thanked for input on £450m hospitals plans
NHS leaders have thanked the public for their feedback on £450 million proposals to transform acute hospital and maternity services.
The consultation run by the area’s three clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) closed at the end of last year and bosses said they were pleased with the several thousand responses.
The CCGs said the proposals focus on plans to improve patient care and achieve better outcomes at the three main hospitals in Leicester and the midwifery-led unit at St Mary’s Hospital, Melton.
A spokesman said all the responses will be independently analysed and evaluated by the Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (CSU).
The final Consultation Report of Findings will be received by the three CCG governing bodies and discussed at a public meeting in 2021 – the date of which is yet to be determined.
Andy Williams, chief executive of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland clinical commissioning groups, said: “We have carried out extensive consultation activities to reach as many people as we can.
“I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has given their feedback, whether they have attended one of our online events, filled in the questionnaire or contacted us directly.
“We really appreciate all the information we have received. It will now be fed into the consultation document as part of the decision-making process. The Consultation Report will come before our governing bodies and will be discussed in a public meeting in 2021.
“It is difficult to assess how long it will take to fully analyse the responses and produce the report so at the moment it’s too early to say exactly when the governing body meeting will be held. As soon as we have a date it will, of course, be fully communicated.” Andrew Furlong, medical director and consultant children’s orthopaedic surgeon at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: “I want to thank everyone who took part in the public consultation and had their say on the proposed plans to transform our hospitals.
“We are now one step closer to making this once-in-a-generation, £450 million investment in improving our buildings and services a reality.
“The feedback provided will be invaluable to us – it will help inform our plans and shape the best possible future for our hospitals.
“This is a really exciting time for us all, and we cannot wait to start improving our hospitals and provide our patients with even better care.”