The EDP revealed last week that negotiations were under way over the future of the emergency services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King’s Lynn.
The James Paget University Hospital (Image: Unknown)
The talks also cover the future of various departments at the James Paget Hospital, in Gorleston, and have prompted Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, to call on NHS bosses to clarify what its plans for the facility are.
The discussions are being held by the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, which manages both hospitals, as well as the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.
It is currently carrying out a review of how services can be delivered across all three hospitals, which has led to discussions being held about the future of A&E, ICU and maternity units.
Discussions are being held to axe the A&E, ICU and maternity wards from the QEH (Image: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital)
The group has insisted that no decisions have yet been made.
It has also assured that patients will continue to have access to “urgent and emergency care at the QEH 24 hours a day, seven days a week”.
However this could mean a number of scaled-down alternatives.
Mr Lowe, who is the leader of Restore Britain, said: “The reports about the QEH are very worrying.
Rupert Lowe was elected to as the MP for Great Yarmouth in 2024 (Image: Rupert Lowe)
“I have contacted the James Paget leadership urging for a cast-iron guarantee that A&E services at James Paget will remain open and accessible to all.
“If there are doubts, I will use every tool at my disposal to keep and improve these facilities.”
When the group was asked whether the James Paget was also at risk of losing its A&E, ICU and maternity services, a spokeswoman said: “As part of the development of our clinical strategy, we are considering how all three hospitals in our group can work together to meet the future healthcare needs of our communities.
“No decisions have been made regarding the future configuration of services at any of our hospitals. “
A DIFFERENT PICTURE AT THE PAGET
Unlike the QEH, which was rated the worst-performing hospital in the country last year, the Paget appears to be on a more positive trajectory.
While it struggled with a maternity crisis in 2023, the Care Quality Commission upgraded its overall rating from requires improvement to good this April.
An aerial view of the James Paget (Image: Mike Page)
The two hospitals do, however, share similar construction issues.
Both are an number of hospitals which were built using a type of concrete which is now crumbling and both have to be propped up by steel supports.
Under the government’s £2.8bn New Hospital Programme the two Norfolk hospitals are due to be rebuilt 2032.
Current designs for both include A&E, intensive care and maternity units, meaning those plans may need to be revisited if either hospital’s services change.
An illustration of what the new James Paget Hospital will look like (Image: Bidwells/James Paget Hospital)
Asked whether the design team had been briefed on this possibility, the group said its clinical strategy “will, of course, inform” the rebuild.
It added: “We are determined to make the most of this fantastic opportunity and planning for our new hospitals continues at pace”.
The Paget’s inclusion in the wider review of the group’s strategy was set out in the trust’s own presentation to Norfolk’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in July.
A further paper, due before the same committee in November, will further discuss possibilities for change across all three hospitals.
WHAT DOES THE TRUST SAY?
The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group released a statement addressing reports about the possible closures.
It read: “No decisions have been made about the future configuration of services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn (the QEH) or any other hospital in the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.
“Senior clinical colleagues from across the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group are currently working together to develop a long-term clinical strategy for Norfolk and Waveney.
“The purpose of this work is to ensure we can provide the best possible healthcare for the people who rely on us now and into the future.
“We have identified many of the clinical and operational challenges and improvement opportunities we need to address and are beginning to explore potential options for the future that will need to be fully evaluated.
“The New Hospital Programme is central to delivering the healthcare we want to provide for future generations.
“We have a responsibility to make the best possible use of the £2.8 billion investment in new hospitals at the QEH and the James Paget Hospital and to ensure these facilities are designed around the healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
“The current work is focused on understanding the evidence, considering a wide range of ideas and assessing the benefits and implications of different approaches before any conclusions are reached.
“If, at a later stage, this work resulted in proposals for significant changes to services, those proposals would require robust clinical evidence and would need to go through appropriate NHS governance, staff engagement, public engagement and consultation before any decisions could be taken.”