Prepare for battle: date set for consultation

29 June 2007. Public consultation on the future of Whipps Cross and King George’s Hospitals is now planned for October 2007 – originally due early this year. The strength of the campaign to save Whipps Cross took the authorities by surprise with widespread opposition to proposals that include downgrading either Whipps or King George’s or both to no more that a day care walk-in centre.

The need for Whipps Cross to continue as a strong, high-standard acute general hospital serving its community is being ever more firmly established. Following high-level visits NHS London is asking Whipps to present plans for new buildings. The campaign has called for the hospital’s future to be confirmed now, and the £26 million “debt” that threatens more crippling cuts to be lifted (see page 2).

But the Fit for the Future review of hospitals continues and though things have now gone very quiet, behind the scenes much is going on.

Stakeholder meetings put keeping Whipps as a District General Hospital top – but an “independent clinical review” of all 5 options including downgrading Whipps is about to start. Two doctors – top advisers to the government on NHS change – have been brought in: Sir George Alberti, National Director for Emergency Access and Professor David Colin-Thome, National Clinical Director for Primary Care.

“Independent” of what? Alberti has already in an opening message told us the health service model we ought to have – and that those who want to protect local services by not having these changes “are misguided”.

Remember: all proposed options mean 637 hospital beds lost to the Outer North East London region, with a meagre £20 million put back in com-munity services to replace the care.

And the huge £36 million a year cost of Queens PFI, the driving force for Fit for the Future review in the first place, has not gone away. Indeed it seems patients are already being diverted there.

The London-wide NHS review now under way will affect any proposals for our area. ‘The Case for Change’ published in March says London needs fewer hospital beds and general hospitals, and wants specialist services such as stroke care be to centralised into larger units, reducing costs.

We cannot sit back between now and October – or the shape of our health services will be determined by interests and individuals far removed from us. Health staff and community together must speak out for the health care we know is needed, joining people near and far also fighting for the future of our NHS.