URGENT ACTION
Council members unite in bid to block care centres’ shake-up
Councillors have added their weight to a campaign opposing proposals to offer urgent care services from just one site in Sunderland.
Currently, patients can go for treatment for minor injuries at primary care centres in Houghton, Washington and Bunny Hill.
However, the city’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is looking to shift all urgent care services to Pallion Health Centre, near Sunderland Royal Hospital, with some GP practices offering appointments on evenings and weekends.
Health bosses state changes, supported by a GP extended access service, will ease pressure on services – adding no decisions will be made until views are gathered in a public consultation.
In recent weeks, campaigners have raised fears about the impact on transport, patient care and GP staffing if urgent care services are lost.
Campaigners gathered at Sunderland Civic Centre to mark an official motion calling on Sunderland City Council (SCC) to oppose the “downgrading of services”.
This included taking “necessary actions” in future such as a judicial review.
Coun Kelly Chequer, launching the motion, said 1,300 physical
signatures had been collected by residents opposing the plans, alongside 7,000 signatures across online petitions.
Referencing the upcoming 70-year anniversary of the NHS, she called on councillors to send a “clear message” to the CCG, NHS England and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
“The CCG is disillusioned if they believe that the people of Sunderland don’t value their services,” she said.
Coun Rebecca Atkinson questioned if Pallion Health Centre could cope with demand as a sole provider of urgent care, noting its limited capacity, limited on-site parking and lack of free parking nearby.
“I’m not here tonight to bash services, I’m here tonight to ask the CCG to think again, to stop the madness of the changes they’re proposing and to listen to the public,” she said.
Coun Juliana Heron, described Houghton’s primary care centre as a “jewel in the crown” and called for the council to “do everything they can to keep our urgent care centres as local as they should be”.
Cabinet members Louise Farthing and Geoff Walker also backed the motion, referencing the national context of NHS budget cuts and urgent care
changes.
Deputy leader, Michael Mordey added: “Hopefully we can speak as one council on behalf of our city and residents and save these vital services.”
Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors backed the motion, with 54 councillors voting in support and nine abstentions.
Health and wellbeing scrutiny committee members were asked to abstain by chairman Coun Darryl Dixon to preserve impartiality in their formal response to the CCG.
The committee is expected to provide a response to the CCG after reviewing comments from its public consultation running until August 12.
Sunderland CCG’s chief officer, Dave Gallagher, said: “We have been clear that the current situation cannot continue.
“The system is under increasing pressure, demand
‘I’m here tonight to ask the CCG to think again’ COUN REBECCA ATKINSON
is continuing to rise and local people have told us the system is too complicated.
“We’re developing a different way of arranging services and we believe that these changes will make urgent care in Sunderland work better for patients.
“This is not about closing buildings, it is about changes to urgent care services, some of which are currently delivered in the centres, but it does not affect any of the other services that are based within them.”
He added: “Under these proposals, we would provide care closer to home through GPs and five extended access hubs, plus an Urgent Treatment Centre in Pallion.
“A newly-improved NHS 111 service with more clinical input will help people get the right service and reduce the need to be transferred from one service to another.
“With 42,000 extra appointments every year within the Sunderland GP system most patients
would be seen more locally, with less need to travel.
“We believe these changes would provide a better service closer to home, as well as making better use of NHS funding.
“No decisions will be made until we have listened to views on the proposals from the people of Sunderland and we are trying to give every opportunity to comment.”
Coun Kevin Johnston, who represents Copt Hill ward in Houghton, has led the campaign opposing changes to urgent care services.
Speaking after the meeting, he said: “It’s nice to see that political alliances can be put to one side when it comes to such an important issue that w ll affect everyone in the city.”
C mpaigner Laura Murrell, of Keep Our NHS PublicSunderl ndDistrict,also welcome e motion and cross-party support.
“We believe in local services for local people and it shows the strength of feeling and that local health services are important to everybody,” she said.
To have your say on the plans, you can fill out an online survey at www.sunderlandccg.nhs.uk or call (0191) 217 2670 for a paper copy.