Potential plans to close the A&E and intensive care departments at Lynn’s hospital have been dropped, but its maternity services are still at risk, bosses have revealed today.
The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group (NWUHG) board met this morning to discuss its much-publicised ‘Case for Change’ clinical strategy, which it was feared could see the closure of the three major units at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
But they have this afternoon confirmed that the long-term approach will retain 24-hour emergency departments and critical care at all three of its hospitals, which also includes the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.
King’s Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Despite this, the board has agreed that there is a “case for change” and maternity, neonatal and children’s services require “further detailed assessment”.
Officials have said that further work is needed to explore how healthcare could be improved across Norfolk and Waveney.
The meeting has come amid much concern among residents and politicians in West Norfolk, following reports – which emerged in September – that suggested senior NHS figures had been considering whether some services currently provided at Lynn could be delivered elsewhere within the hospital group.
People brought signs showing how long it currently takes them to get to the QEH and how long it would take to get to the Norfolk and Norwich A&E. Picture: Rob Colwell
This culminated in a ‘human A&E queue’ demonstration on Lynn’s Tuesday Market Place in October, with hundreds urgently calling for the department to remain at the QEH – with placards stating how long it would take individuals to get to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
This morning’s meeting saw the board consider evidence about changing population needs, quality and access, workforce pressures and services that are “becoming increasingly difficult to sustain”.
“The Case for Change sets out an approach based on strong local hospitals, more care provided through community and neighbourhood services closer to where people live, and better access to specialist expertise,” a NWUHG spokesperson said.
“Maternity, neonatal and children’s services have been identified as requiring further detailed assessment.
Lesley Dwyer
“Clinicians have tested scenarios in which hospital births continue at three hospitals or are provided at two or one hospital.”
Officials said the scenario testing did not represent a formal proposal or preferred option, and the board’s agreement does not authorise the closure, relocation or reorganisation of individual services.
Further assessment, involvement and formal decision-making would be required before any service changes could be agreed.
Professor Lesley Dwyer, group chief executive of NWUHG, said: “We have a simple ambition: to provide better care for the people of Norfolk and Waveney, now and in the future.
“There is much to be proud of across our hospitals, but we also know that we do not consistently deliver the quality of care people need.
“Demand is growing, people’s needs are changing and some services are becoming increasingly difficult to staff and sustain.
“The board has agreed that the evidence supports a case for change and that further work should now take place. This is not a decision to close or relocate individual services.
“Our hospitals will remain at the heart of the future. We want to build on their strengths, provide more care closer to where people live where appropriate, and ensure patients can access specialist expertise when they need it.”
Following the board meeting, North West Norfolk MP James Wild said that, while it was “reassuring” that plans to cut A&E and intensive care at the QEH had been dropped, it was “worrying” that the removal of maternity services was still a possibility.
North West Norfolk MP James Wild outside Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital
He said: “A lack of transparency and leaked proposals around this clinical services review have caused considerable concern about the loss of services.
“From the beginning, I have opposed downgrading A&E at QEH and it is reassuring any plans to remove consultant-led emergency and critical care have been dropped. It was not tenable to lose such vital services for our community.
“While the NHS mantra has been bringing care closer to patients, it is worrying the NHS Group continue to pursue proposals that could lead to the removal of maternity services at QEH.
“This approach does not reflect the rurality, travel times, deprivation, and other issues in our community which must be central to any consideration of future local service provision.
“This work is being driven by largely unaccountable NHS bodies and I have already raised my opposition to the loss of services in Parliament.
“I will continue to campaign throughout this process so that in delivering our new hospital patient interests come first.”