So what exactly are the plans for Chippenham Community Hospital?
Local doctors were as surprised as some of your readers to find out about the new proposals for Chippenham Community Hospital last week.
Less than a month ago we were informed for the first time that the general Medical bed numbers were going to be slashed from 43 to only ten, due to budgetary restraints and now we find that the Primary Care Trust (PCT) has put in a bid to The Government for ?17 million for the redevelopment of the Hospital. You are not alone if you think that this all seems rather paradoxical.
Dont get me wrong- change is necessary and ?17 million sounds wonderful, but are you sure that the PCT management is doing the right thing?
Chippenham Hospital has a long tradition of providing excellent care in Community Hospital beds, which helps elderly patients with complex medical and social needs 'to take the next step' towards a successful return home.
The recent 'Pathways for Change' process has been all about 'taking the next step' towards financial balance and I hope that local patients dont end up falling over in the process. Local doctors and nurses are united in their efforts to secure more beds for the 'New Chippenham Hospital'.
And what about these new proposals? Many of the listed services are already being provided appropriately by local GP surgeries and this would appear to be a duplication. Many of the services are already being provided at the old site, although of course £17 million will certainly provide a welcome upgrade.
Some of the new services seem rather ambitious and it is not clear that these plans have been discussed and agreed with the relavent experts.
But of course the most important question is not when, but if. I am sure that Wiltshire is not the only organisation bidding for their share of the £750 million central fund and I suspect that it is oversubscibed many times over.
I'm sure that it will not escape the notice of the man or woman who decides these things, that Devizes has been chosen as a site for one of the new diagnostic and treatment centres, so why should we get more money, especially as we dont seem to have a very good record of managing it? What happens if our bid fails?
At the very least, somebody will have to take responsibility for pre-maturely raising our expectations.
Meanwhile we must all show our support for the services which we have, rather than the services which we may or may not get in the future.
In this respect I urge you all to join the staff of Chippenham Hospital, this Saturday, on their march in protest against the closure of 33 beds.
Dear Sir,
Wiltshire PCT is both deceitful and un"trust"worthy. It is now clear that the agenda for "Pathways for Change" was always reducing cost, not improving patient care, and the "consultation" process a complete farce. The PCT have manipulated figures (especially about beds at Chippenham Hospital) to reduce costs further. Their latest smoke & mirrors tactic is to announce a bid for a new hospital at Chippenham, which they strongly suspect will be rejected, but will spike the guns of some of their loudest critics in the meantime. They shouldn't be allowed to get away with, but they probably will...ultimately, it's patients that will suffer but they will have balanced their books and moved on to different jobs by then. Stay healthy...
Dear Sir,
Wiltshire PCT is both deceitful and un"trust"worthy. It is now clear that the agenda for "Pathways for Change" was always reducing cost, not improving patient care, and the "consultation" process a complete farce. The PCT have manipulated figures (especially about beds at Chippenham Hospital) to reduce costs further. Their latest smoke & mirrors tactic is to announce a bid for a new hospital at Chippenham, which they strongly suspect will be rejected, but will spike the guns of some of their loudest critics in the meantime. They shouldn't be allowed to get away with, but they probably will...ultimately, it's patients that will suffer but they will have balanced their books and moved on to different jobs by then. Stay healthy...
Did you think that chippenham hospital would be safe after all the others closing.
The pct will not be happy until all hospitals are closed and we all have to go to bath ruh.
I agree with Melksham resident that the top bods will disappear soon.
But when your are getting paid there money and have private health care who cares about the man in the street, also half of them dont even live in the areas they are serving.
Did you think that chippenham hospital would be safe after all the others closing.
The pct will not be happy until all hospitals are closed and we all have to go to bath ruh.
I agree with Melksham resident that the top bods will disappear soon.
But when your are getting paid there money and have private health care who cares about the man in the street, also half of them dont even live in the areas they are serving.
