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News for Weston-super-Mare Central Ward from local councillors Mike Bell and Robert Payne : serving you on North Somerset Council and Weston-super-Mare Town Council Learn more
by mikebell on 27 February, 2019
Weston Central Ward Councillor Mike Bell met with consultants from Weston Hospital this week to discuss their plans to keep 24/7 accident and emergency services open in the town.
Mike said: “I was pleased to meet with some of the consultants from Weston Hospital to hear more about their ideas to help save our A&E and stop plans for a downgrade of services. It’s vital that NHS bosses listen to the frontline doctors, nurses and other professionals on what works.
“The proposals from the NHS managers will see our A&E closed permanently overnight and a downgrade in emergency surgery and intensive care. But this is only the beginning, over five years, the plan is to close A&E completely and replaced it with a daytime-only GP-led Urgent Treatment Centre. This is a significant downgrading of our hospital and it’s vital members of the public have their say before it is too late.”
Have your say on the NHS proposals here: https://bnssghealthiertogether.org.uk/healthyweston
1 Comment
Mark Twain, the American writer, once wrote, Lies, damned Lies and statistics – to describe the persuasive powers of the ruling classes to bolster weak arguments.
This is exactly what Weston hospital directors and the CCG are doing with respect to forcing through the downgrading Weston Hospital, and in particular, closing the A&E department. Every day, they are spinning Lies, more Lies and dodgy statistics into the public domain. Even our MP John Penrose has been taken-in and supports their aims.
In just one example, BBC News reporters have discovered that Weston hospital board of directors and the CCG are using twenty-one year old data to bolster their weak arguments and hoodwink the people of Weston super Mare. It appears that even NHS England agree that the data they have used – regarding minimum population numbers [so-called as being] necessary to support Weston hospital remaining fully functional – is wholly not relevant. (Link – https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-47229781)
It is time to have a clear-out of these CCG members and bring some forward-thinking honest people to the table so that we can reverse their impending decision. Let’s face it, no-matter how many public consultations we have, we all know what their final decision will be if they are allowed to remain in power – it will be a downgrade of hospital services and closure of A&E.
Weston super Mare must build a bigger and better hospital, with enhanced clinical services so as to provide the kind of care that the people of Weston and surrounding areas so richly deserve.
Peter Mitchell