Gobsmacked by NHS Bosses decision

In the past I have posted on here about the ongoing (7 years plus) campaign to get some form of emergency service for children in Southport. In my last posting on the subject NHS Stitch Up I explained how we had reached stalemate and how we hoped that a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley may be able to move the situation forward.


Well, the revised report requested by the Minister has been produced and guess what absolutely no movement with regard to the Primary Care Trusts decision regarding a WIC for Children in Southport. You could even say that their position has become even more entrenched when NHS bosses say that there is no need for any children's facility and that nobody wants one anyway.

The public consultation undertaken as part of this report and which the Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley specifically asked to be included is farcical  - the equivalent of asking turkeys to vote for Christmas.

Harsh comments I know but I should add that the report does highlight some positive steps forward in health service provision for children in Southport. There will be better care for those children with long term health conditions and complex needs, there will also be a return of some outpatients clinics to Southport (they shouldn't have been moved in the first place but don't get me started), and better provision for children and adolescent mental health services.

So where to from here - one of the main points in this 2nd report is the creation of a Children's Hub at the Houghton Street Health and Wellbeing clinic in Southport town centre.  This clinic, which is part of the LIFT (PFI) Project in Sefton already holds a newly commissioned Darzi Practice so maybe there is the potential here for a GP led MIU.  Certainly it is something that should be investigated further.

So once again I ask you to watch this space.