MP vows to fight for services
WEST Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper says she will fight the shock proposals which could see Ormskirk Hospital lose children’s A&E, maternity and other vital services.
The Labour MP was responding to revelations that Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust is looking into drastic options for the future of the NHS locally, which could include downgrading either Ormskirk or Southport hospital to a ‘hot’ or a ‘cold’ site.
A third option would be to close both, with a new hospital built on a site somewhere between the two towns.
Ms Cooper said: “This decision will be subject to a formal consultation and I will strongly oppose any reduction in services provided here at Ormskirk.”
But politicians in Southport will be fighting their town’s corner.
Conservative MP Damien Moore said: “Hundreds of tourists visit our town, and thousands choose to retire here.
“Given the demands this creates on our NHS, I believe Southport would be the best ‘hot’ site.”
Southport Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman John Wright said: “We hope this is going to be good news for Southport. Obviously, nothing can be presumed yet; but we know Southport people want to have the best possible health services in the town, and for them to be truly local, not located miles away in Ormskirk or Liverpool.
“We will be fighting to help make their voices heard, as we have done in previous campaigns.”
Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust chief executive Silas Nicholls, who took up the post three months ago, refused a request for an interview with the Ormskirk Advertiser.
But in an “open letter”, he said: “In 1996, 14% of people in West Lancashire were aged 65 and over – by 2036 it is expected to be 28%. In Sefton, the change is even more dramatic. People over 65 are projected to number 30% of the population compared with 18% 40 years earlier.
“Getting older means some people need more frequent care, especially those with long-term conditions like breathing difficulties or diseases like dementia.
“Care also too often means a hospital admission and into buildings planned in the 1980 not fit for the needs of today’s mainly older, frailer patients.
“That’s why the trust’s board members support senior nurses and doctors’ view that our services need to change and are fit for the future.”
He added: “No decisions have been made, beyond the fact that we need to further invest in both our hospital sites at Southport and Ormskirk.
“How services could be organised in the future range from keeping services as they are, redeveloping and improving the hospital sites at both Southport and Ormskirk through to making the case for a new hospital.
“Our initial thoughts will be submitted later this month to the Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership.
“Over the coming months, we will be asking people across our community and beyond for their opinions.”
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