Heatherwood Hospital 1982

Jonjo's X-RAY

In a recent report headline "Jonjo in fall scare", we wrongly stated that there was no radiologist on duty at the local hospital after Jonjo O'Neill fell on Davey View at Ascot, and he left without being X-rayed.
We have been assured that there is always a radiologist on duty at Heatherwood Hospital, which runs a 24 hour service seven days a week.
Extract Bracknell Times 22/02/1982

 

Fete puts Lina in good hands

Lina Ibo, a maternity ward caterer at Heatherwood Hospital, near Ascot, found herself in good hands at the fete.
But the shapely "nurses" Bracknell Lions Club members Vic Walters and Dave Moon were really in hot pursuit of funds for the hospital's 60th anniversary.
Extract Evening Post 09/06/1982

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.This showed Bracknell Lions Club members Vic Walters and Dave Moon.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Casualty Unit Plan Under Fire

Plans to close the casualty unit at Windsor's King Edward VII Hospital are likely to come under fierce protest at a public meeting in two weeks time.
Leaders of the hospital's League of Friends are calling on their members to attend the July 14 meeting and oppose the controversial proposals.
The meeting, at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital, is being held by the East Berkshire Community Health Council to discuss its annual report.
And today the CHC's action in the row so far was criticised by both the league's retiring chairman and the man who is replacing him.
Retiring chairman Roger Coe said: "There is a great deal of feeling in this borough against the closure.
Impression
"It seems to me to be very wrong of the CHC to siding with the health authority when they are meant to represent the people."
"The people themselves. in the shape of Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council. have come out very strongly against it" And the league's new chairman, former mayor Councillor Arthur Jacob, added that the CHC had given the impression it was supporting the health authority's plan.
"We think it is important the accident and emergency unit should stay open and I am hoping that as many members of the league will go and put the point at the public meeting as possible." he said.
But secretary of the CHC Miss Juliet Mattinson said her council had not yet made its views officially known. Members would discuss the issue at a meeting next Tuesday.
Concentrate
She said the comments were "unfair". A number of Windsor and Maidenhead councillors have already voiced their opposition to closing the casualty unit at a private meeting with district health authority officials.
The plan was first put forward in April. The idea is to concentrate all resources at East Berkshire's two main accident units Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough
But Windsor and Maidenhead Council claims local patients will suffer inconvenience from having to travel to the two other hospitals
They also believe that Windsor should have its own accident unit because of the number of visitors to the town
A final decision is expected next month.
Extract Evening Post 01/07/1982

 

Action Day Hailed A Striking Success

The picket line at Ascot's Heatherwood was swelled by striking Alder Valley bus drivers.
A hospital spokesman said: "We are only performing emergency operations.
there are no porters here and there is only a skeleton service from the sterile stores.
"The patients' meals service is not affected, but the staff are not getting a choice of meals."
East Berkshire's deputy general health administrator, Brian Mackness, said: "The support is not consistent across East Berkshire, but large numbers of staff are taking various forms of action.
Extract Evening Post 23/09/1982

 

A Transport of Delight

Christmas gifts for children in homes and in hospital have been handed over by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory in Crowthorne.
Staff either made or contributed nearly 200 toys, games dolls and knitted garments which will be distributed between Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot and Berkshire County Council homes.
Extract Aldershot News 07/12/1982

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo. It is the 17th time that the TRRI has taken part in Christmas appeal and the gifts were handed over to Mr.Reg Wood the chief welfare officer of the Department of Transport (left) by TRRL deputy director Mr.Geoff Margason.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Crunch Talks Due on Shock Hospital Cuts

By Abbie Enock,Health Correspondent
A question mark still hangs over Thames Valley hospitals as health chiefs thrash out cuts proposals in the wake of Shock plans to axe millions of pounds from services.
It is more than three months since a public outcry erupted over Oxford Regional Health Authority's controversial consultation document suggesting axing £8 million and ploughing £4 million back into a reduced, new look service.
Now the region's health bosses are meeting a week today to discuss the next steps following reactions from district health authorities, community health councils and unions in Berkshire. Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.
Although some of the most drastic solutions needing Government legislation now look out of the question, the region which claims to be the most efficient in the country and caters for 2.3 million people is still grappling with a rapidly expanding population and virtually no extra cash.
Huge savings must still be made. Officers are recommending health bosses to find cheaper ways of providing some services while putting more cash into care of old folk and mentally handicapped and ill people.
Proposals could mean: Closing Reading's Blagrave and Prospect Park hospitals and Henley War Memorial Hospital:
A threat to Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital accident and emergency unit:
Posts being axed:
More 24-hour maternity care and surgery; and More old folk and mentally ill and handicapped patients moving out of institutions.
But officers advise against abandoning family planning services and non-urgent surgery to the private sector although regional public relations officer Andrew Moss agreed they could be pared down.
Reduced
And the idea to reduce accident and emergency units to one per county looks set to be dropped which could have meant closing Reading's Royal Berks Hospital's casualty department.
But emergency facilities may still be reduced to one per district and this would not rule out axing Heatherwood's casualty department in East Berkshire. where there is also Slough's Wexham Park Hospital.
One of the officers' suggestions which could have a major effect would be to reorganise sites.
Mr Moss said that would mean having fewer hospital sites and concentrate activities on a smaller number of sites.
Already West Berkshire Health Authority has suggested closing Blagrave and Prospect Park hospitals and moving the elderly patients to Reading's Battle Hospital.
And cash saving suggestions also include shutting Henley War Memorial Hospital and wards and units at many Berkshire hospitals.
But on the bright side a scheme is in the pipeline to move 50 mentally handicapped Borocourt Hospital patients into the community in Wallingford. Reading and West Berkshire.
Extract Evening Post 31/12/1982