Hampshire Medical Negligence
HOSPITAL chiefs are concerned that plans to merge with another NHS trust could be driving away patients.
The Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust (WEHCT) has seen a drop in numbers coming through the doors of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital for emergency treatment from the Chandler’s Ford and Eastleigh areas.
This follows an announcement last December of the upcoming takeover of the WEHCT, which oversees both the Winchester hospital and Andover War Memorial Hospital, by the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the merging of facilities set for early next year.
WEHCT will cease to exist, but the RHCH will continue to provide maternity and an accident and emergency department, alongside core services such as surgery, intensive care, paediatrics, gynaecology, medicine orthopaedics and diagnostic services like X-rays and blood tests.
Some services will be centrally based on current expertise, with the Winchester hospital taking on stroke treatment, breast reconstruction and geriatric care.
At a WEHCT board meeting last Wednesday, trustees raised concerns over the fall in numbers from the southern catchment, notably Eastleigh and Chandler’s Ford over the last six months.
Dr Chris Gordon, acting chief executive, said they had seen a downward trend in emergency care referrals from these areas, but it was difficult to know the exact reasons. “We’re obviously concerned that means changes in referral pattern due to the uncertainty of services provided by this hospital.”
He was arranging meetings with GPs to talk to them about what services they could entrust the hospital with. He said it could be that Southampton General Hospital, as a soonto-be foundation trust, was actively enhancing its services to improve patient numbers.
Dr Gordon continued: “We have focused on merging issues. Maybe we need to focus on marketing issues.”
After the meeting, he added that the drop could be down to personal patient choice, where the ambulance takes them, or GP referral. However, it could also reflect steps taken in the community to avoid unnecessary emergency admissions.
He said: “We need to understand if there is a reduction in the referrals to the hospital due to uncertainty around the future of the hospital from GPs.
“We have to reassure GPs and the public that a wide range of emergency and other services will continue to be provided from the RHCH after the merger.
“The emergency department and maternity services will be fully maintained.”
The meeting heard that the merger was progressing satisfactorily, with the competition risk currently being assessed,and the two trusts are on course to merge as early as January.
source: hampshirechronicle.co.uk
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