Labour policy boosted GWH (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Labour policy boosted GWH

On September 23 controversial Conservative councillor Dr Lister stated that there were not enough beds at the Great Western Hospital.

I feel compelled to put the record straight.

Since the GWH was designed and built the Labour Government has established new policies in the NHS that have increased bed numbers by 188 at the GWH. In 2000 the NHS plan was introduced A Blueprint For The Future Of Health Care In The UK.

As a consequence, patients now have the choice of when their surgery should take place.

As part of the changes in the NHS plan new treatment centres are now in the process of being provided throughout the country. The GWH Treatment Centre was opened in 2005 providing 128 beds and with the capacity to treat 5,500 patients every year.

Of this bed quota, there are 108 beds for elective surgery and patients waiting for surgery will not have their operations cancelled by emergency admissions, as in the past.

This treatment centre has five operating theatres. plus the ten in GWH.

Following the national bed inquiry undertaken by the NHS in 2002, a new 60-bed intermediate centre was also built at the GWH.

This provides a vital stage between care in hospital and care at home, releasing surgical beds at the GWH for other patients requiring surgery.

These are just two examples of changes to the NHS brought in by the Labour Government, that are making this vital service great once more.

P BROWN

Liden, Swindon