Letter: Affordability now seems to be the byword for hospital care

In an interesting move by Mr Wright, we are now told that the Strategic Outline Case is no longer based on evidence from clinicians but is now based on affordability.

So we are told:

Patients cannot be discharged into 'community beds' because they are not there – I seem to remember beds being closed by the CCG at Ludlow Hospital.

Future Fit has been redesigned into the SOC… but it's OK Future Fit wasn't wrong just needed to be redesigned, never mind the waste.

The SOC is a outline or draft or basic concept but it's OK as there will be a 'full consultation'… once we have made sure that we cannot change anything no matter what the public think.

Simon Wright used to manage Warrington and Halton NHS Trust where A&E transferred to a single Warrington site and Halton became a UCC, the very same model proposed for Shropshire.

Reports from regional news stated:

"North West hospitals: A&E departments are full, only use if absolutely necessary."

"Warrington And Halton Hospitals Trust mired in A&E misery."

Responding to Dr Simon Walford's letter the cited report (Review of Burnley Urgent Care Centre, June 1, 2010) did not look at preventable deaths caused by additional travel times – also bear in mind this review was completed in 2010 before the current cuts to NHS.

A quick look at local headlines tells a more up to date story about Burnley: "Calls for Burnley's A&E department to reopen as Royal Blackburn Hospital struggles to cope." Including from the local Conservative MP.

In relation to 'evidence' the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has produced a A&E fact sheet should Dr Walford and the The Trust care to familiarise themselves with this it is available at: http://www.rcem.ac.uk/Shop-Floor/Policy/Briefings/A&E%20Facts/

Maybe Dr Walford himself needs to examine the emerging evidence more closely in relation to the 'facts' on the ground and consequences to local people?

Ms J Cobb, South Shropshire

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