Chairman and members of the PCT

It was supposed to be a meeting for consulting local people on their views about health care, but it turned into a complete and utter farce.

The New Forest PCT had misunderstood the strength of feeling generated with the threat of bed closures at Hythe hospital and throughout the New Forest.

It brought forth a multitude of angry and resentful NHS users, many of whom were elderly and unable to find a seat in the cramped hall, and were forced to stand with only their sticks or crutches for support. People were also standing in the corridor, or outside the fire exit straining to hear what was being said.

TV and Newspaper media teams were out in force to capture the mood, taking in what was being said, and trying to collect the short, snappy sound-bite that “said it all”

To say that the mood was ugly and that the PCT were almost like Christians being fed to lions, is not an understatement. They had their work cut out for them, and on seeing the amount of people who had turned up for the meeting, must have made them think that this was not going to be a push over.

Eventually, New Forest PCT Chairman, Wendy Pettifer, attempted to take control by suggesting that as the hall had too many people in it, that it was unsafe to continue, and at first asked that only those who couldn’t attend a rescheduled meeting to remain. This fell on sceptical ears, as it was felt by many attending that the meeting time was unsuitable for those at work or indeed, still on their way from work.

Crowd voting

Other meetings scheduled throughout the area were scheduled for 2pm in the afternoon or at 6pm and many stated that this was unsuitable and preferred that evening meetings should start at 7pm to ensure that as many people as possible could attend.

One member of the public was alarmed that a rescheduled meeting would mean less time for public consultation, and the Chairman confirmed that there would not be an extension to the consultation period.

At this point, Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest East arrived at the meeting to applause and a collective sigh of relief by some members of the meeting. His sentiments were shared by the huge contingent of local Liberal Democrat councillors also attending the meeting, condemming the PCT for their actions.

Local man, Robin Watton, asked the Chairman: “why it was that the PCT had hired the smallest venue in the area at such an inconvenient time?”

The Chairman unsuccessfully dodged the question, and at first no response was forthcoming from her or the members of the PCT presentation team standing behind her.

From the crowd, it was suggested that this was because the chairman and her team “were totally ignorant of the area”, and another was heard to say: “With organisational skills for this meeting, what hope do we have for health care?”

This provoked a feeble response from the chair who stated that, “There was no large venue available.” This being met with huge derision from the hall, with members of the public becoming irate about the lack of planning required for a meeting of such importance.

Fawley Parish Councillor Allan Glass, and former Chairman of Fawley Parish Council, Mr Roger Randall, cited possible locations for holding a meeting with a large crowd of people, as did others in the hall who mentioned the Waterside Theatre or even Dibden Parish hall.

Members of the PCT then huddled together to make a hurried decision as to the way forward, then came forward to cancel – or abandon, as one person shouted out, the meeting and reschedule it in 2-3 weeks time.

Dr Julian Lewis talking to the crowd

At this point, Julian Lewis stepped forward to state that the meeting was a “charade” and that these were “unacceptable options”.

He asked for a show of hands on the options put forward by the PCT, and no one raised a hand to support bed closures in any of the community hospitals in the New Forest .

Later in an interview for television, Julian Lewis added that, “It was a blatant attempt by the PCT to set one hospital against another.”

After the furore had died down, Liberal Democrat County Councillor for South Waterside, Cllr Lee Dunsdon said: “The New Forest PCT is making their case by saying that people are in hospital who don't need to be there, and I suspect, because they know it will be unsafe to discharge them without the necessary aftercare in place.

My big fear for the future would be that if these beds are lost there will not be adequate resources from agencies such as social services to back up this “home care” because they will be unable to provide the necessary personal care for example cooking meals, and checking people are okay on a regular and frequent basis according to their individual needs”.

This is very much the case if the person lives alone and does not have any family or friends nearby who can “supplement “ nursing and social care allowed for by the PCT, after all, there will be only so many community nurses, and so little time in a 24 hour period.

What is perhaps more nauseating is the rhetoric on the PCT’s own website where they state:

“Community hospitals are central to the PCT’s vision of delivering high quality services in convenient locations”.

So what has changed their minds?

Wendy Pettifer was asked this very question by one local resident. “Was it a financial decision?

The Trust have a substantial deficit, to the tune of at least £13 Million, so was this the motivation for the “temporary closure at Fenchurch hospital in Lyndhurst ” and the proposed “options” for the rest of the community hospitals?”

Apparently not, according to the Chairman who stated that “it’s all about the appropriate use of resources, and that research has shown that the elderly would prefer to be at home rather than in hospital.

The money would be targeted at community services rather than the more expensive option of community hospitals, and that care would be “equitable” for all in the New Forest, not just for those lucky few who are cared for in hospital by their GPs”.

Packed hall

She went on to add that change was by its very nature a difficult thing for many people to accept, and she understood that people felt very strongly about this issue. Interestingly, the Chairman did actually admit, that if she was not part of the PCT, and was a member of the public only, then she too might be fighting to keep beds in the New Forest open!

She and the rest of the Trust board must realise that they have a fight on their hands, and the population of the New Forest need to make their voices heard. Attend the meetings – tell them what you really think about their options!

And then pray, keep your fingers crossed, or whatever else brings you good luck because the people of the New Forest, now and in the future, are going to need it!

Options

Option 1 (this includes four sub-options as this option could be achieved in a number of ways).

To expand and develop community-based services by releasing resources currently tied up in acute hospital beds and community hospitals by closing:

1a. 20 inpatient beds at the Fenwick Hospital, Lyndhurst (currently closed temporarily) 17 inpatient beds at Hythe Hospital

1b. 20 inpatient beds at the Fenwick Hospital, Lyndhurst (currently closed temporarily) 19 inpatient beds at Milford-on-Sea Hospital.

1c. 20 inpatient beds at the Fenwick Hospital, Lyndhurst (currently closed temporarily) 17 inpatient beds at Hythe Hospital

19 inpatient beds at Milford-on-Sea Hospital.

1d. Reopening 20 inpatient beds at the Fenwick Hospital, Lyndhurst (currently closed temporarily)

Closing 19 inpatient beds at Milford-on-Sea Hospital & Closing 17 inpatient beds Hythe Hospital

Option 2

Expand and develop community-based services by releasing resources currently tied up in acute hospital beds and community hospitals. This will mean closing all the community inpatient beds at Hythe, Milford-on-Sea, Fenwick, Romsey and Fordingbridge hospitals.

Subject to the outcome of consultation it is proposed that changes will start to be implemented in November 2005. There will be a phased approach to introducing the changes which could take between one and three years to implement depending on which option is chosen.

New Forest PCT Meetings

Thursday 21 July 2pm Milford - All Saints Church Hall Greenbanks Close, Milford on Sea, SO41 0SQ

Wednesday 27 July 2pm Fordingbridge - Avonway Community Centre, 36 Shaftsbury Street, Fordingbridge, SP6 1JF

Thursday 28 July 6pm Lyndhurst Community Centre (off the car park) High Street Lyndhurst, SO43 7NY

Friday 29 July 10.30am Romsey Town Hall Market Place Romsey, SO51 8YZ

Tuesday 13 September 6pm Eastleigh Wells Place Eastleigh Baptist Church Wells Place Eastleigh, SO50 5LJ

Wednesday 14 September 2pm Ringwood Salvation Army Hall Christchurch Road Ringwood, BH24 1DL

Tuesday 20 September 2pm Hamble St Andrews Priory Centre High Street Hamble, SO31 4JF

Thursday 22 September 6pm Lymington - NEW VENUE Masonic Hall, 10 High Street, Lymington, SO41 9AA

Thursday 29 September 6pm Totton Hanger Farm Arts Centre Aikman Lane West Totton, SO40 8FT