Waiting time for decision on A&E
NHS puts closure plans on hold
No decisions have yet been made and any significant proposals for change would be subject to a full consultation process later in the year
PLANS that could lead to the closure Cheltenham General Hospital’s accident and emergency department have been temporarily paused, according to NHS chiefs – but they have not been ruled out.
A media briefing was supposed to be held on Monday about the county’s long-term plan for the NHS, including launching a public engagement process on plans to downgrade Cheltenham’s A&E unit.
But Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustsaid it needs to do further work ahead of asking the public for their views.
In a statement the trust said: “This is very much a process of engagement, we really want to hear what people think about how services could be provided in the future and have a genuine and open discussion about this.
“A range of potential solutions to support this engagement will be set out in a public discussion document, and we are planning a whole range of ways to listen to people’s views to help us draw up more specific proposals.
“No decisions have yet been made and any significant proposals for change would be subject to a full consultation process later in the year.
“Once the engagement process begins, there will be many opportunities for people to get involved and give their views, including at events across the county on the information bus, at workshops and a citizen’s jury.”
It continued: “When published, the engagement booklet will also be available online on the one gloucestershire website (onegloucestershire.net) and
people can also follow updates on Twitter.
“In order to get the process of engagement absolutely right, we have taken the decision to temporarily pause the start of this process.
“This also follows feedback we have received from some of our stakeholders about the need to do further work in advance of the engagement launch to avoid any unintended confusion between the launch of this engagement process and the formal public consultation planned towards the end of the year.
“Further information on the new timetable will follow in the next couple of weeks.”
The news was revealed after Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk leaked the trust’s proposals and said he was furious at the plan to downgrade one of the county’s main hospitals.
Mr Chalk said he found out the briefing would include proposals to turn the walk-in casualty department at Cheltenham General Hospital into an Urgent Treatment Centre - an appointment-only service led by GPS.
Reacting to the U-turn, Mr Chalk said: “I warmly welcome this decision. “But the trust now needs to go further and rule out downgrading Cheltenham’s A&E.
“Downgrading is completely unacceptable, not just for people in Cheltenham, but for those living right across the north and east of our county.”
It’s not the first time the NHS in Gloucestershire has used the citizen’s jury and a panel of local people was compiled to look at the best site for a new Forest of Dean hospital when the Dilke and Lydney hospitals are closed.