Former governor claims new trust running four hospitals could see some downgraded
ANEW ‘super trust’ which will see two major hospital managing bodies merged could lead to downgraded services and lack of investment in neglected facilities, a former governor has warned.
It was announced this week that University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) and the Heart of England Foundation Trust (HEFT) will combine to run four hospitals and community services across the city.
Bosses said there were no plans to close any of the sites involved, adding the exercise had yet to be judged an acquisition or a merger.
The sites affected will be the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston, Heartlands in Bordesley Green, Good Hope in Sutton Coldfield, and Solihull Hospital, as well as the Chest Clinic, Solihull Community Services and satellite services.
But Andrew Lydon, former governor at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT), said the union of the organisation with University Hospital Birmingham (UHB) was bad news for patients.
HEFT runs Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospitals, while UHB contols the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Edgbaston.
The move will affect millions of patients across the city.
Despite MPs saying the decision will lead to better care and more jobs, Mr Lydon said this was far from the case and patients could find themselves having to travel further across the city for procedures.
“I cannot see any good outcome from this merger,” he told the Birmingham Post.
“Heartlands is the mothership at HEFT, with both Good Hope and Solihull acting as satellite sites. The QE is its own mothership.
“However, this move Heartlands downgraded mothership to a satellite.
“The problem with that is Solihull will probably become the satellite of a satellite and my fear is that it will eventually turn into a community hospital, like West Heath and Moseley Hall Hospitals. will see from a
“It could bring in a situation where we see many people diverted to the QE. So we will have patients from Solihull and East Birmingham having to travel across to Edgbaston.
“All of the division of labour within HEFT will have to change.
“You will end up getting back to a situation where everything important goes on around Edgbaston.
“The distribution will shift more towards the QE where the most important procedures will be carried out.”
Chief executive of UHB, Dame Julie Moore, was brought in to oversee the running of HEFT in November last year, after the trust found itself badly in deficit.
Mr Lydon added: “HEFT was badly managed and Dame Julie Moore has not been able to overcome that problem.”
He said that a crucial investment of £150 million was needed to update the facilities at HEFT’s three hospitals. Yet there had been no mention of this happening as part of the merger.
“All three hospitals are in need of investment. Wards haven’t been refurbished in years and the neglected kit needs updating.
“When Dame Julie Moore came over she had people to look at the state of the hospitals and found
I cannot see any good outcome from this merger Andrew Lydon, former governor at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT)