COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

A proposal which could see all mums-to-be from Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire unable to give birth at the George Eliot Hospital is being explored.



One of the options discussed at a crunch health meeting yesterday was to move all maternity services from the local hospital to the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW).

As exclusively featured in the News, a controversial consultation on the future of paediatric and maternity care will be launched in December.

Everyone from councillors to clinicians met yesterday to look at a number of different options, including whether inpatient paediatric services, which are run from the Caterina ward, should transfer to UHCW.

They also looked at what form of maternity services should remain at the George Eliot, be it a full maternity service, a midwifery-led maternity service or should all births take place at the Walsgrave-based hospital.

Results from yesterday's meeting are expected to contribute business case which is being developed prior to the launch of the public consultation on December 5.

"This is an important first step in shaping which options will go forward to form part of our consultation on women's and children's services," said Martin Lee, medical director for the Arden Cluster, the body which replaced NHS Warwickshire and NHS Coventry PCT, and administers care throughout the region.

"Through this meeting and then the development of the business case, we will look at the pros and cons of all the options and look at which are viable.

"We will then go out to public consultation on those options which we feel best meet the health needs of the local population. We will ask the public's views on those final options."

Yesterday's meeting explored issues such as accessibility, clinical quality, training needs for the workforce and how the options fit with local and national policies.

Those involved were also asked to consider the implications of not making any changes, and keeping the services at the local hospital.

It is understood that an examination into the cost of each option will take place separately before the final selection of options are put out to public consultation.

Even though the consultation is not yet under way, people power will be enlisted in Nuneaton town centre tomorrow as a petition is being launched to safeguard services at the George Eliot Hospital.

It has been instigated by Warwickshire County councillor Barry Longden who wants to raise awareness of the looming threats to services, including Caterina ward and the Special Care Baby Unit.

Petition over George Eliot Hospital services

A petition has been launched to save services at a Warwickshire Hospital.

The petition was prompted by fears children's and maternity services at George Eliot hospital in Nuneaton could be moved to Coventry.

The Arden Cluster, a group looking at possible changes to the NHS in Coventry and Warwickshire, has said "options are being considered".

It said it was looking at changes to children's and maternity services but no decisions had been taken.

Arbury and Stockingford Labour councillor Barry Longden organised the petition, which was launched in Nuneaton.

Similar events are being arranged in Atherstone, Hinckley and Bosworth.

Maternity and children's services to stay at Nuneaton's George Eliot Hospital

PREGNANT mothers and sick children will continue to be treated at Nuneaton’s George Eliot Hospital under plans drawn up by NHS chiefs.

A major review looked set to recommend moving Nuneaton’s maternity and paediatric services to University Hospital in Coventry.

However, health chiefs have now thrown their weight behind a sixth option for Warwick Hospital to take over the services and continue to run them from George Eliot.

The news has been met with delight by hospital campaigners in Nuneaton and north Warwickshire. C

oun Barry Longden said it was clear health chiefs had “got the message” that the people of north Warwickshire were not prepared to lose essential services to Coventry.

He thanked everyone who had signed a petition to save Nuneaton’s services as it had a major impact on the outcome of the review.

Many within the NHS believe that Coventry and Warwickshire’s network of maternity and children’s services has become unsustainable and needs to change to protect future patients.

University Hospital is already supporting staff at George Eliot amid fears they see too few rare cases to maintain their specialist skills.

That seemed to pave the way for the maternity and paediatric units to be moved en masse to Walsgrave

In a last ditch bid to save their services bosses at George Eliot drew up an extra option that would see seriously ill children, currently treated on Caterina Ward, sent to Coventry, with a short stay assessment unit at George Eliot.

Other services would remain at in Nuneaton, but would be run by the trust behind Warwick Hospital.

As the George Eliot is already seeking a partner that could eventually lead to a full merger between the hospitals.

Coun Longden said he thought this was a “fabulous outcome”, though some people would be unhappy at the loss of the Caterina Ward in its current form. Realistically it was not possible to retain this unit, he said.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health was brought in to review George Eliot’s ‘option six’.

After reading its report bosses at the Arden Cluster, which leads the NHS locally, decided to give the plan their full backing.

A spokeswoman told the Telegraph the plans were likely to be popular with local people so it was now talking to stakeholders to decide whether a full public consultation would be a waste of money.

The health scrutiny board in Warwickshire has already said that although this represents a major change it does not feel a full consultation would worthwhile. Its Coventry counterpart is less convinced.

The final plan will be presented to the Arden Cluster board in May.