A number of constituents have contacted me regarding the proposals within the GP-led Hardwick and North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Groups’ (CCGs) ‘Better Care Closer to Home’ consultation.
It is clear from some of the correspondence I have received that there is some confusion about the proposals. It is important to make clear from the outset that the proposals have been put forward by local doctors and healthcare professionals who run the CCGs. I understand that they plan to reduce the number of beds available at community hospitals in our area for those suffering with dementia or recovering from illness or accidents. Instead, the aim will be to provide more care in or near to the patient’s home and offer more joined up services with colleagues in social care and the voluntary sector.
In the Derbyshire Dales, this will mean the closure of the Oker Ward at the Whitworth Hospital in Darley Dale, as well as the full closure of Newholme Hospital in Bakewell. While I support the principle of joining up health and social care and bringing it closer to home for patients, I share your concerns over the impact these changes will have on our communities and the people that rely on these services.
Other hospitals across the northern part of the County are also facing similar changes, with Bolsover Hospital to close and beds to be removed from Cavendish Hospital (Buxton) and Clay Cross under the existing proposals. Only Bolsover and Newholme are facing full closure, which I understand is primarily because they offer very few other services and it is not consider economical by the CCGs to keep them open. The other three community hospitals mentioned above will remain open and continue to provide all other services that are currently provided. Meanwhile, Walton Hospital in Chesterfield is set to become a centre of excellence, where those with the severest dementia symptoms can be admitted for specialist care. The proposals are very wide ranging and include plans for Dementia Rapid Response Teams, Integrated Care at Home Teams and Community Hubs, among a wide variety of other proposed alternative services.
I would strongly encourage you, if you have not already done so, to visit www.joinedupcare.org.uk and to read the consultation document where you will find the full proposals and more in the way of justification for the plans.
Last month I met with the North Derbyshire CCG’s Chief Transformation Officer to discuss the proposals and I made clear at the time my very serious concerns over the closure of Newholme Hospital and the reduction of services at the Whitworth. I am due to meet with the Chair of the CCG and will be raising a number of questions about the proposals. Closer to the consultation deadline, I will also be writing in with my views and reiterating the concerns expressed to me by constituents.
A member of my staff attended the consultation event in Bakewell on Thursday 7th July; I met supporters of the Whitworth Hospital recently, and as well as meeting the CCG, I also toured Bakewell hospital, so I am fully aware of the strong opposition to the proposals within our communities. I can assure you that I will do whatever I can to urge the CCGs to listen to the views of those residents who do take part in the consultation.
However, it is important to make clear that no decisions have yet been made and the CCGs are committed to consulting local residents before progressing with the plans. So it is absolutely vital that local people participate in the consultation, prior to the deadline at 12pm on Wednesday 5th October. Only by doing so can we make sure the CCGs are aware of the strength of feeling in our communities, so I would encourage people to also take part in the consultation. To do so, they can either complete the online survey at www.joinedupcare.org.uk or write a letter to FREEPOST Better Care, North Derbyshire CCG Headquarters, Nightingale Close, Chesterfield, S41 7PF.
By Patrick McLoughlin on July 15, 2016