Heatherwood Hospital
July to December 1989

Hospital Plan Fury

Fears that patients lives will be put at risk
Heatherwood Hospital is in danger of losing its accident and emergency unit- forcing Bracknell victims to travel to Slough.
The proposal, which was leaked to the press this week, has caused outrage among medical consultants.
They believe such a move could cost lives. And they are adamantly opposed to a second proposal which would transfer certain childbirth and child care facilities to Wexham Park hospital in Slough.
Plans to close down A&E, obstetrics and paediatrics at Heatherwood were discussed at a private meeting by top health chiefs on Friday.
Their recommendations are due to be discussed by East Berkshire Health Authority at a public meeting next Wednesday (July 19).
But at an emergency medical consultants' meeting on Monday night, every single member totally opposed the plans.
Chairman of the consultants' committee Dr Joe Warren said: "The quicker you can get someone like a heart attack victim to hospital the better. "Someone from Great Hollands is going to have a much better chance of survival if he goes to Heatherwood than if he goes to Wexham Park.
"Or if an old lady with a broken hip is taken to Wexham Park she may have one or two friends who would like to visit but have not got cars. She will be isolated.
"And if a Bracknell mum is expecting a baby she will still attend the outpatients department at Heatherwood, but will be whisked off to Wexham Park to have the baby.
"The staff she has got to know at Heatherwood will not be there. I think it is absolutely inhumane." Dr Warren, who works as an anaesthetist at Heatherwood and Wexham Park, claimed Heatherwood would become a "glorified cottage hospital".
He said: "The impact on the quality of service to an expanding population and this is the largest growing population of the under-12's in the county is absolutely horrendous"
A spokesman for the health authority stressed the proposals would be put forward for public consultation and discussion before any decision was made.
General manager of Heatherwood. Hospital John Neate said he could understand the difficulties facing the district. During the last year the district and regional health authorities had carried out an appraisal exercise to determine the "best way forward for acute services in East Berkshire".
Mr Neate said: "Part of it was capital investment at Heatherwood to enable a transfer of acute services from King Edward VII. That was good news." Health chiefs believe by concentrating services on one site, both shortages will be helped.
But Mr Neate said: "I have consistently maintained that Heatherwood Hospital should be developed to serve the south of the district, and I recognise that these proposals would reduce the availability of local services."
Dr Warren said the consequences for staffing at Heatherwood would be very serious.
He said without these facilities Heatherwood could not offer a complete training to junior medical staff.
He is also in contact with East Berkshire MP Andrew MacKay over the proposals.
Extract Bracknell Times 13/07/1989

 

Adam McKinley Writes:-

When is the crazy, mixed-up meddling with Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital going to stop?
The on-off policy of East Berkshire Health Authority about the accident and emergency unit has again taken a turn for the worse.
With its threatened closure goes a move to axe the hospital's maternity unit and move it to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
Consultants are strongly opposed to closing down accident and emergency services as well as obstetrics and paediatrics departments at Heatherwood.
And the whole Bracknell district is in a state of indignant shock at the very idea.
Dr Joe Warren, Bracknell district councillor and an anaesthetist at Heatherwood and Wexham Park has hit out at the idea of turning Heatherwood into a glorified cottage hospital. More power to your elbow Joe.
With North Bracknell getting another 4,800 homes and its population planned to mushroom in the next decade, reducing Heatherwood's services as a general hospital is a complete nonsense.
The hospital should be developed to serve an even greater area to the south of the district and certainly not be contracted into inadequacy to the point of insignificance.
I have some sympathy with the health authority because it is under constant political pressure to concentrate more on economics and less on patients. So it must speak up for itself.
This is an excellent opportunity, too, for MP Andrew MacKay to show the political stuff of which he is made by leading the fight not only to save these units, but impress upon Central Government the need to further equip Heatherwood to meet the needs of Bracknell and its inevitable expansion.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 20/07/1989

 

Five Will Die Every Week

Fears over plans to close hospital units
By Sandra Spencer
Five people will die unnecessarily every week if plans to close facilities at Heatherwood Hospital go ahead, nursing staff have claimed.
They estimate that shutting down the main accident and emergency facility at Heatherwood will cost at least 260 lives every year.
Nurses have dismissed claims that no one will be put at risk, as total rubbish.
They say the idea of keeping a skeleton emergency service at the Ascot hospital is ridiculous and will not work.
East Berkshire Health Authority members deferred making any decision on proposals to move Heatherwood's casualty unit, special care baby unit, obstetrics and paediatrics to Wexham Park in Slough when they met on Wednesday.
But the move has provoked an angry response from some, who believe the authority is shirking its responsibility.
This week opposition to the plans continued to grow.
As a petition against the closures reached 23,000 signatures, health groups vowed to fight the proposals to the bitter end.
The Campaign for the National Health Service has called a public meeting at which it will launch an all out battle against the plans.
The Community Health Council has urged members of the public to contact it with views and comments to use as ammunition in its fight.
The Reverend Michael Bentley is among many angry people who feel they have been totally misled by the health authority over the future of Heatherwood.
Mr Bentley showed The TIMES a letter written to him by the chairman of East Berkshire Health Authority Donald McWilliams following rumours just nine months ago.
It said: "I am sorry that you appear to doubt what my senior staff have already said to you.
Therefore, let me repeat that there are no plans to close or curtail the accident and emergency ser vice at Heatherwood Hospital.
"I hope that this assurance will enable you to put into proper context any 'evidence' that is relayed to you in the future."
Dr Joe Warren, who is a consultant anaesthetist at Heatherwood Hospital and Wexham Park as well as a borough councillor, has also accused health chiefs of keeping medical staff in the dark.
He is extremely worried at the attitude of East Berkshire Health Authority members to the problem. On Wednesday they deferred any decision on the plans until September, inviting alternative solutions to the district's manpower and financial problems from medical staff and the public.
Members were concerned at the lack of alternative options, and the lack of consultation in preparing the plans.
Dr Warren fears they are passing the responsibility onto consultants and medical staff.
Anyone wishing to write to the Community Health Council should address letters to 30 Windsor Road, Slough, Berkshire. SL1 2EF.
The Campaign for the NHS will hold a public meeting on September 4 at 8pm at the Great Hollands Health Centre.
For more details contact Bracknell 55607 or Bracknell 53634.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/07/1989

 

Heatherwood Hospital:Financial Versus Human priorities

Rifts within the health authority
At Wednesday's meeting of East Berkshire Health Authority, members were extremely concerned at the proposals.
Some suggested the plans did not even warrant consideration and should be rejected without further discussion.
But despite attacks from all sides, Dr Jeremy Cobb, the planning officer behind proposals to close facilities at Heatherwood Hospital, has stood by his arguments.
He insists the advantages of transferring facilities to Wexham Park outweigh the problems of maintaining the present system.
He agreed the journey would cause problems, but said this had to be accepted for the sake of solving the district's financial and manpower problems.
Trends
He said £1.5 million had to be found from somewhere to develop elderly care services, in line with national trends.
Dr Cobb told unhappy health authority members: "We as officers can't leave you as authority members in any doubt that you face a problem.
"The way in which we solve that problem is not clear to us. He continued: "You members say you don't want centralisation of anything.
I appreciate all this, but I must advise you problems must be solved in one way or another." But many people feel that, if carried out, the proposals would cause more problems than they solved.
Nurses are not allowed to talk to the press, but staff nurse Margaret Upton feels so strongly she refused to be gagged by the ban.
Terrified
Mrs Upton said: "I deal with a lot of young mums and they are terrified at the moment.
"In the Bracknell area a lot of them haven't got the money to travel.
"It's not fair to expect mothers to leave a child at Wexham Park and perhaps not be able to visit it every day.
There are other ways they can save money."
She feels the plans could be counter productive for staffing levels.
"They are going to lose a lot of the staff here if this happens. There are plenty of jobs in nursing homes, etc.
"They will lose about half or three quarters of the staff from Heatherwood eventually," she argued. "People don't want to work at Wexham Park otherwise they would have gone there in the first place."
Some health authority members said the answer was to get more money.
Member Jerry Deighton suggested East Berks refused to make cuts, telling the regional health authority they could not manage on the existing budget and must have more money.
Mr Deighton said if the district health authority appeared to survive on less and less money it could encourage the region to cut back yet further.
Consultant anaesthetist Dr Joe Warren said: "More money, that's certainly a way we must go. One and a half million pounds is really not very much. It should not be impossible to get the region to give us that. Service "Health authority members should have said, in my view, this is due to Government underspending.
We must put pressure upon the Government to give us more."
Dr Warren said he had already written to Kenneth Clarke urging him to give more money. Dr Warren said: "I got a very trite reply which was absolute nonsense. It didn't indicate any awareness there was a problem."
But Dr Warren believes everyone should persevere and keep pressurising the health secretary.
Heatherwood Hospital nurses What future for them?
The plan for changes to Heatherwood Hospital has aroused a storm of protest from local politicians at all levels.
Tory leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council Alan Ward, in an open letter to Dr Donald McWilliam, Chairman of East Berkshire Health Authority, has outlined the town's arguments against the proposals to relocate hospital services in Slough:
Dear Dr McWilliam, I am writing personally to you to add weight to the very strong feelings expressed by the Bracknell Borough Councillors at last week's meeting of the full Council when they heard of your proposals to reduce the services at Heatherwood Hospital.
I have been leader of the Council here for five years now and it is not my custom to over-react or to immediately take the stance of the man in the street'. This is because I am well aware that situations are always more complicated when one knows all the facts than when reacting to a statement. It is for this reason that I have never in the past taken up with you calls from members of our public in Bracknell to open a major hospital in Bracknell itself.
I am well aware that a fairly substantial population is required for a major hospital facility and that a reasonable travelling distance is to be expected as a result.
I cannot, however, bring myself to believe that any facts known to you can justify moving three crucial areas of hospital service for the population of Bracknell from Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
The travelling times both from a medical point of view for emergencies and the provision for children and babies, not to mention the travelling for visitors, would be quite unacceptable.
I am no medical expert but I do believe that the morale of people when they are sick can be vital to their recovery and I cannot but think that the prospect of their being taken many, many miles away to Wexham Park would do anything other than considerably reduce morale.
The argument could well be used that in remote rural areas people have to travel much greater distances. However, in such areas the factors of rush-hours and traffic jams are usually much less of a consideration in emergencies.
Of course when it comes to visiting the sick in such areas, long journeys are a regrettable necessity but I cannot see that this could justify imposing this type of journey on the large population in this area.
In order to get to Wexham Park it is necessary to travel through the Borough of Windsor and also through Slough and you are suggesting that for the 100,000 plus population of Bracknell this would be the siting of their medical facilities.
I have to say to you that should your Committee take the decision to remove these facilities from Heatherwood they would be completely abrogating their responsibilities to the population of Bracknell.
I am also certain that to do so would be nothing to do with the funding of the Health Service but your Committee's failure to administer the hospital service in this area.
I hope therefore you will not take this decision and that you will reassure us that our hospital facilities at Heatherwood are safe.
I trust you will bring the contents of this letter to the attention of your Committee.
Councillor Alan Ward, Bracknell Forest Borough Council, Easthampstead House, Town Square, Bracknell.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/07/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo of two nurses.
The Caption Heatherwood Hospital nurses-What future for them?
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photos here.

 

Heatherwood Will Lead District in Cost Cutting Cook Chill Plan

Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital is to be the first in East Berkshire to serve its patients with cook-chilled food.
Health bosses in East Berkshire are hoping to save £72,000 when they introduce the controversial catering method and Heatherwood will be the first hospital to test it out at the end of this year.
Complaints
The hospital's new catering department designed to meet the needs of the new method opens this autumn.
East Berkshire District Health Authority members gave approval to the new food system last week. The move follows complaints of food being cold, lacking flavour and being of erratic quality and choice.
Authority general manager David Treloar said the cook-chill method would ensure the food was hot when served.
He said: "Food can be stored for up to five days.
A central production unit would be set up at Reading's Battle Hospital to serve all hospitals in East and West Berkshire.
This means cash savings in terms of staff."
The cook-chill system of catering means the food is cooked and then rapidly chilled to a final temperature of between zero and three degrees centigrade.
Venture
The food is then transported in refrigerated lorries to hospitals, where it can be stored for up to five days before being re-heated.
West Berkshire Health Authority gave the go-ahead to the new method at a meeting the week before last.
Cook-chill is to be funded by the Oxford Regional Health Authority and the £1 million production unit will be a joint venture between the East and West Berkshire authorities.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/07/1989

 

Campaigning For Heatherwood

How disturbing and sad it was to see the anxious faces of all those mothers who went to the bother of attending the meeting of the East Berks Health Authority at Heatherwood, all these people who are worried and care about the fate of the Accident and Emergency Dept and other functions at Heatherwood Hospital.
They were told by the Chairman that they would not be allowed to speak or ask questions.
Let me commiserate with them on their quiet acquiescence, however much they were provoked by listening to the excuses coming from the chair, particularly from the District General Officer and Director of Planning, Doctor J Cobb.
Let us have no more pussyfooting around about this matter, Dr Cobb should do the honourable thing and resign as quickly as possible, together with any others who might have contracted the dreadful Thatcher/Clarke disease from which there is no immediate cure.
Their entirely negative approach by taking the easiest way out, to put the patients last in order to comply with this Government's penny pinching economies, is to to say the least pathetic.
To stand there and tell the committee there is no alternative but to rationalise the hospital services, including the transfer of the casualty department to Wexham Park, Slough, and then ask the committee members to find another way of saving money, is not going to find a satisfactory solution. In fact it can only be described as ludicrous.
Concerns
Doctor Cobb's loyalties are of course to his superiors and paymasters not to the residents of East Berks.
We might therefore allow him some sympathy for his position. Personally, I am more concerned with the health and welfare of my fellow citizens.
Heatherwood is a fine hospital. It has provided a first class service to the East Berks area over a long period and must be. retained as a general hospital for the Bracknell/Ascot and surrounding area.
To this end, the Campaign for the NHS, with all other organisations, will fight these ridiculous proposals to the bitter end, right up to the front door of Number 10.
Doctor Cobb's facts and figures to try and convince everybody the cuts were necessary were meaning- less.
Savings of £200,000 for a particular function can only be described as peanuts.
The excuses made about staff shortages (nurses and doctors), are self-inflicted wounds arising from the Thatcher policy of not paying the rate for the job.
The employment of self-employed agency nurses at twice the cost to the Health Service is nothing short of a disgrace.
The committee were able to get a deferment for the umpteenth time on these ridiculous proposals until September.
Rest assured, the people behind the scenes are determined to have these closures at Heatherwood one way or the other.
My advice to the Bracknell/Ascot residents is keep up the pressure, write to MP Andrew MacKay, sign all petitions and attend the public meetings now being organised.
WJR Hignell, Member of the Campaign for the NHS, 8 St Andrews, Home Farm, Bracknell, 53634.
Extract Bracknell Times 03/08/1989

 

Is There Any Alternative?

By Sandra Spencer
While the public debate over controversial proposals for Heatherwood Hospital continues, medical staff and consultants are drawing up their response to the plans.
Health authority members, unhappy with the idea of transferring Heatherwood's special care baby unit, obstetrics, paediatrics and main casualty department to Wexham Park in Slough, have delayed any decision until September.
They hope individuals will come up with alternative plans to solve the district's financial and manpower problems.
But the authority must make up its mind one way or another soon if it is not to lose a £300,000 handout.
Earlier this year, the regional health authority promised the extra money on the condition the district made financially sound plans to meet their long-term obligations.
The loss of such a major sum would add to the financial problems now facing the district.
This week The TIMES looks in detail at the only existing proposal so far, and the one which has caused such an outcry.
It is called the revised Mid-term Strategic Review for East Berkshire.
The report, drawn up by Dr Jeremy Cobb, is the result of discussions with regional health officers.
The original aims acute in-patient services from three sites to two the two being Heatherwood and Wexham Park and to develop services for the elderly in the four main towns of East Berkshire.
But this has created a dilemma for the authority:
OFFICERS say the plan is only financially viable up to the middle 1990's. They have not found extra money in the budget to provide new beds for the elderly in the Bracknell area after this period.
PLANNING officers doubt whether they can adequately staff two acute sites, each running a full range of services.
They also say that, as the trend towards court cases with dissatisfied patients continues to increase, the need for "satisfactory medical staffing arrangements becomes paramount."
One of the key points in the strategy is the increasing numbers of elderly people.
The report says: "The dynamic change in population profile, with increasing numbers of elderly people and falling numbers of school leavers, has a two-fold effect. "It affects the nature of services which need to be provided but, just as important, it affects the manpower which will be available to provide those services."
no one has denied in the debate so far that the should provide more beds for the elderly. a planning officers want to increase the overall number of beds in the district from 256 to 321, with 50 beds at both Heatherwood Hospital and a new community care hospital in Bracknell.
Dr Cobb has already said to health authority members: "We have not got the other £1.5 million revenue we would need approximately to develop a community hospital in Bracknell. That is a major problem for us." So where can this money be made up?
Savings
By centralising the facilities outlined, savings would certainly be made.
For example the report estimates that, by maintaining one accident and emergency facility instead of two, the authority could save more than £200,000.
The question that medical staff are asking is whether the accident and emergency unit should be affected in order to afford a new community hospital.
The revised mid-term strategy thinks this is so. In the conclusion it says: "There are powerful forces which suggest that accident and emergency treatment should be centred only on Wexham, where services to major accidents could be controlled.
There are are equally powerful factors that suggest a re-arrangement of specialities between Wexham and Heatherwood.
"This would mean that inpatient obstetrics, paediatrics and associated baby care could only be done at Wexham.
The service provided would be of the highest quality and safety which the public and staff would expect to be achieved," the report continues.
It would create a modern model of care attractive to increasingly scarce skilled staff and allow the district increasing Scarce to sustain the manpower required together with developing technology; the most efficient use of resources measured in terms of finance and manpower would be achieved.
There would be increased travel requirements for inpatient episodes, but this can be mitigated by the local provision of outpatient and day services."
It now awaits to be seen whether individuals, groups and medical experts can come up with a more acceptable proposal.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 03/08/1989

 

Bed Shortage At Heatherwood

A union leader at Heatherwood Hospital is gravely concerned about the shortage of gynaecological beds after doctors had to search the whole of the Oxford Region for a spare bed.
John McDougall, GMB senior steward at Heatherwood, said members were worried after a bed had to be reopened at Heatherwood on Wednesday July 26.
He said the 12 bed ward at Heatherwood was full and a search of the whole of Oxford Regional Health Authority's hospitals failed to find a spare gynaecological bed for the patient.
Mr MacDougall said: "The consultant in charge was very upset. And it is a grave concern to us if the health authority are considering closing the beds here." When fully operational, Heatherwood has 25 beds for gynaecological patients.
East Berkshire Health Authority spokesman Brian Mackness said if the authority has to move accident and emergency and other services to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, all the beds currently at Heatherwood will be moved.
Nursing
The district will have the same number of beds to offer to patients but they I will be concentrated in Slough, Mr Mackness said. Only 12 beds were open at Heatherwood on the day in question because of a nursing shortage, he said. Last Monday Heatherwood's general manager John Neate appealed for more nurses to join the hospital.
This week the government launched its national campaign to encourage nurses in the community to return to work and ease the national crisis.
John McDougall urged everyone opposed to the possible closure of accident and emergency. special baby care, obstetrics, possibly gynaecology. and paediatric units at Heatherwood Hospital to add their names to the petition against the proposals.
More than 30,000 people have now signed and the GMB will present the petition to the East Berkshire Health Authority when they meet next month.
Health authority plans to move the services to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough have outraged community health groups, doctors and unions.
Mr McDougall said it was vital everyone opposed to the plans should sign their name and lobby the authority.
He said the union is aiming for 80,000 signatures: half the people that Heatherwood serves.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/08/1989

 

Doubts Over Nurse Recruitment Drive

Heatherwood Union Says Creche Is Too Expensive

New creche facilities at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital could prove too expensive to attract nurses to the desperately understaffed hospital.
The creche one of the major proposals in a programme to attract badly-needed theatre nurses to the hospital would cost £58 per week for a baby.
A union leader at Heatherwood has claimed the facility will do nothing to improve the staffing crisis and has called for the creche to be subsidised.
Last week, Heatherwood's general manager John Neate issued a plea to trained nurses in Bracknell to return to work to help solve the staffing crisis which has led to dozens of operations being cancelled.
Assistant general manager Colin Reeve said the new creche would cost £1.55 per hour for babies aged three months to two years and £1.45 an hour for children aged two to five. For a nurse with a baby aged one, working five days a week and seven and a half hours a day, the creche bill would be £58 a week.
For a theatre nurse taking home £9,000 a year, the creche would strip her take-home pay down to about £4,000.
John McDougall, GMB senior steward at Heatherwood, fears that will be just too much for some parents.
He said going back to work after having a child would be an economic waste of time. He said: "For a sister on £200 a week before stoppages it's not practical. She will lose a quarter of her wage. Who's going to work with that drop?"
Afford
"We welcome the creche but it needs to be subsidised for certain grades of staff." But Mr Reeve said East Berkshire Health Authority could not afford to run the creche itself and so there would be no concessions.
Due to open in September, the facility would be run by a private business and trained staff would have to be paid, he said.
"We haven't got the revenue available to provide it ourselves. It has to be self sufficient," he said. He said the prices were competitive and any price rises would have to be given the health authority's approval.
The facility would cater for 25 children and staff working in grades with the most critical shortage of recruits would get priority, he said.
John McDougall said some nurses had already said they could not afford to use the creche.
"Some have child minders in Bracknell who they pay £1 an hour," he said.
"When people decide to go back to work it's because they need the money. I wish the hospital success with the creche but it remains to be seen whether it will work."
Last week, a report commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing said creches were a permanent requirement for working women.
The RCN report said child care facilities were crucial in the bid to win back former nurses to hospitals, together with a good working atmosphere.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/08/1989

 

'Journey will be Tortuous if Health Units Move to Slough'

A health chief has told Bracknell councillors the health authority has no power to order better public transport if vital services are moved to Slough.
District medical officer Jeremy Cobb was speaking to members of Bracknell Forest Borough Council's environment committee after they said better transport would be vital if plans to move some services from Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital to Wexham Park went ahead.
Public concern has been mounting over proposals to move the accident and emergency unit, paediatric, gynaecology and special care baby units from Heatherwood.
Dr Cobb, of East Berkshire Health Authority, said: "Trends suggest that in the future people are going to have to travel longer distances for the best services.
"The travelling time between here and Wexham Park is significant and I don't deny it is a difficult journey if you don't have your own transport."
But, he said, the health authority had no power to order a better public transport service between Bracknell and Slough.
Dr Cobb said the drop in the number of nurses and the rising expectations from patients could mean units being moved from Ascot to Slough, but he said other services might be moved in the reverse direction.
Coun Isabel Mattick said the journey to Slough by bus was long and tortuous.
A spokesman for Bee Line buses said: "Services have been run between Bracknell and Slough in the past but have not proved profitable.
We would tender to provide more services if the county agreed to subsidise them."
Extract Bracknell Times 10/08/1989

 

Adam KcKinley Writes:-

The plight of Heatherwood Hospital is becoming grave, and I predict it will get worse.
It is bad enough that the emergency, maternity, obstetrics and paediatric units are threatened with closure but nursing shortages would indicate that the hospital is already being run down.
Heatherwood's general manager John Neate admits the shortage of theatre nurses has reached alarming proportions and more and more operations are being put back.
There are more than 1,300 on the waiting list and surgical help for most of them will not be forthcoming for nearly six months.
MP Andrew MacKay has already appealed to the Minister of Health Kenneth Clark to give more resources to Heatherwood.
It might be an idea if he asked for more cash to woo theatre nurses to the hospital.
It is not easy to attract nurses because of the high cost of living, but the problem will not go away by the hospital management dreaming up a multiplicity of excuses.
A spot of positive action instead of throwing up their arms in despair is required by the quaintly titled East Berks Support Services.
Its director Brian Mackness says simply: "Shortage of theatre staff has meant a reduction in workload." Question is: What the hell is he doing about it?
Answer: Nothing.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 10/08/1989

 

Fighting the Health Chiefs

I have been very pleased to receive many letters from local people concerned about the future of Heatherwood Hospital.
Perhaps I could take the opportunity to try to explain where the Community Health Council (CHC) fits in, as there is evidently an understandable element of confusion.
Hospital services in East Berkshire are administered by East Berkshire District Health Authority. which is currently considering changes at Heatherwood Hospital which might result in the removal of obstetrics, paediatrics and accident and emergency services.
East Berkshire Community Health Council is the consumer representative body for local health services.
Its functions include monitoring health services on behalf of local people and ensuring the patients' viewpoint is high on the agenda.
The CHC positively welcomes the views of local people and is pleased at the strength of the reaction to the district health authority's proposals. But this is only the first step in what could be a lengthy procedure. The CHC must be formally consulted by the health authority before any substantial changes can be 5 made. This has not happened yet.
If the district health authority decides to go ahead, it will need the agreement of the CHC before any of the changes can be implemented.
The CHC has previously rejected any suggestion of single site options and has persistently insisted that there should be a full 24 hour accident and emergency service at Heatherwood.
Without the support of the CHC, the district health authority will need to refer any proposals to Oxford Regional Health Authority.
If it decides to support the proposal against the wishes of the CHC, the issue is then referred to the Secretary of State for a final decision The district health authority has deferred making a decision about whether to proceed with the proposals until September.
The influence of the CHC depends on the weight of public opinion behind it. The CHC is the local voice in the health service and we will be pleased to continue to receive letters from local people. Pam Whittle, CHC Secretary.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 10/08/1989

 

More Time Needed to find Solution to Hospital Crises

A group of hospital specialists will tell health chiefs they need more time to come up with money-saving ideas to prevent closures at Heatherwood Hospital.
Consultant Dr Joe Warren, vehemently opposed to plans to move Heatherwood's accident and emergency, paediatric, obstetric and special baby care units to Wexham Park in Slough, said a committee of consultants had been set up to explore ways of saving cash.
At the last East Berkshire Health Authority meeting in July, consultants were asked to advise authority members on how to avert a financial cash crisis and stop the proposed closures.
Dr Warren said: "At the next meeting in September the consultants will present an interim report. Their view is that it's absolutely impossible to meet the September deadline for a solution.
"It's too short a space of time. My own view is that a consultant's role is not to advise the health authority anyway."
Dr Jeremy Cobb, the planning officer behind the controversial plans to close facilities at Heatherwood,has stood by his ideas.
He maintains the advantages of transferring facilities to Wexham Park in Slough outweigh the problems of keeping the present system. The health authority must find a solution soon to satisfy a condition for receiving a £300,000 cash hand-out from the Oxford Regional Health Authority.
Twenty paediatric beds have been closed at Wexham Park Hospital, fuelling union fears the proposal to move service from Heatherwood is inspired by staffing shortages at Slough.
John McDougall, GMB union senior steward at Heatherwood, said: "We believe the beds were closed due to staff shortages. This coincides with our fears that Wexham cannot maintain staff and they want to move ours to Slough to solve that problem."
East Berkshire Health Authority spokesman Brian Mackness said the 20 bed closure at Slough was part of a planned annual summer shut down as staff went on holiday.
"We do it at this time of year because patients are invariably not so keen to come into hospital for surgery in the summer months," said Mr Mackness.
Extract Bracknell Times 17/08/1989

 

Ambulance Chief Calls For More Trained Staff

Berkshire's ambulance chiefs are calling for dozens more staff to be paramedic ally trained as health service planners consider axing emergency facilities at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
Injured people would be in the care of ambulance staff for longer if they had to be driven to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
Discussions are already taking place between the ambulance service and East Berkshire Health Authority.
which has proposed to transfer the accident and emergency, obstetrics, paediatrics and special care baby facilities from Heatherwood to Wexham Park.
But Berkshire Ambulance Service spokesman Peter Taylor said the ambulancemen would not be put under greater pressure if the A and E unit closed at Ascot.
He said: "We are liaising with the health authority over this issue and will monitor the situation.
"Seriously ill patients go to Wexham anyway, where there are intensive care facilities.
"If a person is travelling from Bracknell it's often quicker to jump on the A329M and then the motorway to Wexham Park than take them to Ascot it's also a smoother journey for the patient."
The Berkshire service was also calling for more paramedic ally trained staff, Mr Taylor said. In a perfect world there should be one fully trained paramedic for every ambulance team.
Crucial
Twenty of 155 county ambulancemen are paramedics. Mr Taylor would like to see 100 fully trained.
Currently 84 of the 155 are trained assistants who can use a defibrillator during the crucial journey to hospital, he said.
But the cost of training is immense: about £6,000 is needed to train a paramedic, which includes two months of hospital work.
East Berkshire Health Authority is due to meet next month to discuss its closure plan for the Ascot services.
The Wokingham ambulance training centre is hoping to be granted National Health Service Training Authority recognition in September.
If successful, the centre will attract ambulancemen from other regions and make money for the Berkshire service.
Extract Bracknell Times 17/08/1989

 

Thousands back Heatherwood Protest

More than 46,000 people have signed the petition protesting against plans to close vital services at Heatherwood Hospital.
The petition was launched by the General Municipal and Boilermakers union Heatherwood in July and aims for 80,000 signatures, half the population the hospital serves.
Health chiefs will meet on October 18 to discuss controversial proposals to move accident and emergency, special baby care, obstetrics and paediatrics from Heatherwood to Wexham Park in Slough.
The GMB, which has about 200 nurses as members from the hospital, will present the petition to them at the meeting.
Health watchdogs, community leaders and East Berkshire MP Andrew MacKay have also expressed their outrage at the plans.
Brian Mackness, East Berkshire Health Authority spokesman, said the authority had received letters of protest.
He said: "We have had a steady stream of letters from individuals since July's meeting and they are coming in each day. "They are all protesting at the possible closure of the units."
Senior steward at the union John McDougall said coaches will be provided to ferry anyone to the October meeting, if it is outside Heatherwood Hospital.
The Community Health Council, a health watchdog, has also appealed for everyone with a view on the closure plans to write to them so they can present a strong case to the health authority.
Pam Whittle of the CHC said: "We need everyone to write to us: I wish I had 46,000 letters on this issue."
A CHC meeting on September 5 at 2pm at Heatherwood will also give local residents a chance to air their views and everyone is urged to attend. Write to the CHC at 30 Windsor Road, Slough. Berks, SL1 2EJ.
Extract Bracknell Times 24/08/1989

 

Tory Leader Slams Health Care Move

By Post Reporter A Berkshire council leader has joined the chorus of disapproval over plans to close three vital services at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
Alan Ward, leader of the Conservative-controlled Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said the plans to transfer casualty,maternity and special care baby facilities to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough would prevent East Berkshire Health Authority "providing care in a satisfactory manner".
In a letter to health authority chairman Dr David McWilliams, Mr Ward said Bracknell was a growing area with 4,000 houses allocated under the county structure plan in north Bracknell.
Service
He said this would produce a further 12,000 population over the next eight years, all within a five to six-mile radius of Heatherwood in addition to 3,000 more people from the 1,000 homes already being built.
Health officials say reasons for a move to Wexham include rising costs and a fall in numbers of trained medical staff. But Mr Ward said in the letter: "It would seem to me that continuing to provide an all round service would be far preferable to expenditure of a much more complex nature which nevertheless takes the service a very long distance away from the customer.
"Your organisation has a duty to provide a good level of health care for the people in this part of Berkshire and the removal of the facilities to Wexham Park will certainly prevent you from providing this care in a satisfactory manner."
Doctors, nurses, community leaders, the Community Health Council, TV personality Jimmy Savile and East Berkshire MP Andrew MacKay among those who have protested at the plans.
Extract Evening Post 29/08/1989

 

The Shows Back On the Road

A stand manned by the Campaign for the NHS also attracted a lot of people eager to sign the save Heatherwood Hospital petition.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 31/08/1989

 

The Green House Babies

Heatherwood Hospital is in danger of losing its special care baby unit. If proposals to move the unit to Slough are approved, babies born premature, or who have breathing difficulties, will have to be cared for at other hospitals.
Nicola Whatmore spent an afternoon meeting some of Heatherwood's youngest patients. She reports on the life-saving work of the unit and its dedicated staff.
Heatherwood Under Threat Laura is just five days old. In the short time she has been in the world, Heatherwood's special care baby unit has become her home.
She is wearing just a nappy and a little blue knitted bonnet to keep her head warm. Laura was born premature and at birth weighed 1.960 kilos.
A ventilator is breathing for her, a machine is monitoring her heart and her mother's milk is fed directly into her stomach through a nasal gastric tube.
Lying next to her, looking slightly out of place among the sophisticated medical equipment, is her teddy bear.
Happily Laura is on the mend. Although she is still tiny and a bit jaundiced, her skin has turned to a rosy pink colour. Babies like Laura need constant care. They spend the first months of their lives at the unit. Without the medical treatment they receive, they would almost certainly die.
The unit is small and friendly. Many of its facilities have been provided after fund-raising efforts in the community.
Nurses are constantly at the babies' side. Parents are free to come look after their babies at any time.
Premature babies tend to stay in hospital until the date that they would normally have been born. At the back of the building tiny premature. baby clothes hang out on the line. The hallways are lined with empty baby-care machines and boxes of toys.
It is a quiet Sunday afternoon on the ward. The silence in the corridor is broken occasionally by the sound of a baby's cry.
In the unit there is a room where parents and relatives sit chatting and swapping notes over coffee and cake.
Next door is a room where mums can stay when their babies are due to go home.
The room with its bed, television and furnishings was furbished with donations from a local fund-raising group.
In the ward, Paul Beanland peers proudly over the cot of his first child, Emma-Louise. Over her head is a head-box which provides her with oxygen. She is fed every two hours with a drip, using her mother's milk.
Ideas
Paul, aged 33 and his 34-year-old wife, Jen, are very grateful to be at Heatherwood this week. The couple, from Melbourne, Australia, were in the middle of a trip around the world. They were planning to go home to have the baby, but Emma-Louise had other ideas.
In England, Jen's waters broke and it became clear that the baby was intent on arriving early.
The couple were staying with friends at Hedgeley Green, Slough. They rushed to Slough's Wexham Park hospital. Paul said: "We called the local doctor who sent us to Wexham Park hospital. But it was too full of babies to take us. The first doctor that we saw in Wexham Park told us: 'We have a major problem'. "His major problem was administrative, the hospital was full. We were moved here. All the nurses here and the attention we received was excellent. My wife Jen turned to me and said: 'I am glad we are here.""
The couple were to transferred Heatherwood as Wexham Park hospital did not have room for a baby that needed to be on a ventilator.
Emma-Louise was born 13 weeks premature at 27 weeks on August 20.
Her parents will now have to stay in England with their baby over the next few months. Paul and Jen have nothing but praise for the unit and all the staff working there. Paul said: "I am very happy with the level of care here. The people have all been very kind." Paul and Jen spend a lot of time on the ward with their baby and are allowed to hold her, feed her, change nappies and are encouraged to take as much responsibility for the care of their child as possible.
But other parents find the sight of their baby on a ventilator just too much to bear and they stay away.
Meanwhile, ward sister Slyvia Keahoa is helping student nurse Maíre O'Hara. Marie is working on the ward for up to three weeks as part of her training and she loves it.
In another room at the unit, babies, affectionately known among nurses as the "green-house babies," get ready to go home at last. These babies are called the "feeders and growers," Sylvia said. They are the ones who are now feeding normally, without a drip and are growing to a healthy size.
There are currently eight babies in the special care baby unit which has a capacity for 15. Staff are dedicated to their job and sometimes o have to work extra hours s to cover for staff sickness and holidays. Sylvia said: "It is an expensive unit to run. We have to be very aware of sterility. We have to have a high ratio of nurses to patients."
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 07/09/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The caption read Paul & Jen Beanland Watch over their first baby Emma Louise
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Groups Unite to Save Hospital

By Jo Haynes
Political groups, community organizations and patients are banding together in a massive wave of public opposition against plans to move vital services from Heatherwood Hospital.
They have formed a pressure group to co-ordinate the fight, after hearing more than 53,000 people have signed a petition against proposals for the Ascot hospital.
More than 100 people packed into Great Hollands Health Centre on Monday night for a public meeting organized by the Bracknell-based Campaign For The NHS.
The meeting heard that plans by East Berkshire Health Authority to centralize casualty,paediatric, obstetric and special care baby facilities at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough would cost up to seven lives a week.
People would face a six-hour journey to Slough for treatment and to visit relatives, they heard.
Dozens of defiant volunteers said they would join a committee to fight the plans, which will be discussed by the health authority next month.
They included members of Tory-dominated Bracknell Forest Borough Council, the Labour Party, the Green Party and the SLD.
Community groups such as the National Childbirth Trust, the Women's Institute and Bracknell Ladies' Tea Set will also be represented.
Meeting organizer Paul Timperley told the crowded hall: "It has been magnificent that we have got this far.
We have got the first part of a fighting committee to ensure Heatherwood is saved." John McDougall, Heatherwood steward of the GMB union, told the meeting the petition had amassed 53,000 signatures.
He hoped to get 80,000 to sign, since that would represent a large majority of the 132,000 people served by the hospital. He said: "We are talking about five to seven people dying every week-doctors and nurses are telling me this.
"That comes to well over 340 people a year.
Is that acceptable? I do not think it is." He said the 'flying squad', based at Ascot to assist pregnant women in emergencies, would be lost.
Fight
"They would not be able to make the journey to Wexham Park," he said. "Mothers and babies would die."
Health authority member Juliet Clifford vowed to fight the plans.
She said it would take people six hours to travel from Bracknell to Wexham Park by public transport. "That is something particular to this district which makes two acute hospitals vital," she said.
She pointed out that the health authority needed more funds or it would be forced to cut other services to save the facilities at Ascot.
"The battle is not just with the health authority. It is also with the Secretary of State (Kenneth Clarke), who is responsible for funding the authority."
Alan Ward, leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said the council opposed the plans.
He also read a statement of support from East Berkshire MP Andrew MacKay.
It said: "I believe it to be totally unacceptable for a growing town the size of Bracknell to be without such facilities. In the case of casualty, it could be a matter of life or death."
Coun Ward said it was ridiculous to take facilities away from an area where new homes would be built for up to 15,000 people before 1995.
He stressed: "We must not make this a party political battle. If we do, we will lose."
Pam Whittle, secretary of East Berkshire Community Health Council, the patients' watchdog, said: "We do not consider that this is offering the people in the south of the district a fair slice of the cake."
She said the CHC would be formally consulted once a decision to proceed with the plans had been made. But she stressed the health authority could only go ahead with the CHC's support, unless the Secretary of State intervened.
Crisis
All the speakers urged the public to write to the health authority, the CHC and Mr MacKay.
Mr McDougall promised to lay on coaches to take people to the vital health authority meeting next month when a decision is expected to be made.
East Berkshire Health Authority says centralizing services in Slough is the only realistic option because of financial restrictions and manpower problems. Next week-see the TIMES for the public's views.
Extract Bracknell Times 07/09/1989

 

But There Is Some Good News

Bosses at Ascot's Heatherwood hospital have sent out a big thank-you to all the members of the WRVS who helped raise £10,000 towards the cost of their new training centre.
The cheque was presented to hospital general manager John Neate on Wednesday morning by WRVS fund raiser Violet Smith.
In return for their donation the fund raisers will have one of the rooms in the training centre named after the WRVS.
But Mr Neate emphasised that the hospital is still desperate for cash for the centre which is costing more than £100,000.
The current total stands at £32,000. Mr Neate is hoping that successful local businesses will come forward with cash.
The new centre will include four seminar rooms, a lecture theatre and a multi-disciplinary library. It is due to be completed within the next two months.
The WRVS raised the money by selling drinks and refreshments in the canteen serving the out-patients department of the hospital.
Extract Bracknell Times 14/09/1989

 

People Are Going To Die

by Jo Haynes & Jim Stevens Public uproar as meeting is warned that hospital cutbacks will cost lives
The strength of opposition among the public to health chiefs' plans to move life-saving services away from Heatherwood Hospital was made clear at a public meeting last week.
More than 100 people turned up at Great Hollands Health Centre, where they pledged to form a campaign group to fight the East Berkshire Health Authority proposals.
The health authority wants to move accident and emergency, obstetric, paediatric and special care baby facilities from the Ascot hospital to Wexham Park in Slough.
One Bracknell mother told the packed hall how important the paediatric services at Heatherwood had been for her son.
Anne Eames, of Great Hollands, said: "I had a Caesarean at Heatherwood and after weekly visits to the paediatric unit my baby was diagnosed as having a serious brain condition. "Without Heatherwood's vigilance, my son would have died."
Scans
She suggested the health authority should start seeking sponsorship from local companies for staff and equipment at the Ascot hospital.
She said: "I would not have cared if the woman who gave my son his scans had been in a McDonald's uniform.
"Major international companies have their headquarters in the area. One of the plusses to attract staff here is a good health service." Another Bracknell mother said her two sons suffered from asthma and would not be able to make it to Slough if they had an attack.
She said: "If they are fighting for breath they can just about make it to Heatherwood."
War veteran Jack Ealy, of Easthampstead, Bracknell, said: "I was prepared to die for the country in the Second World War. "But if I have to go over to Wexham Park if I have a heart attack, I will not have lost my life in a war, I will have lost it in a society which allows that to happen." Ron Hignell, of Home Farm, Bracknell, called for the resignation of Dr Jeremy Cobb, the health authority officer behind the proposals.
Closure
He said: "This is all causing problems at Heatherwood already with morale among staff. I can well under stand doctors and nurses going over to private organisations." The Rev Michael Bentley, minister of Great Hollands Free Church and campaigner for Friends Heatherwood, predicted the health authority would try to soften the closure blow.
He said: "I believe they will slip in as a consolation prize that we will have a casualty clinic at Heatherwood, run by GPs from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. "They will do that to keep us quiet but we have got to make it absolutely clear that nothing less than a fully run 24 hour-a-day casualty unit will do."
Pam Whittle, secretary of East Berkshire Community Health Council, urged people to translate their views into letters which could be used as ammunition in the battle to save the facilities.
Paul Timperley. secretary of the Bracknell-based Campaign for the NHS,which organised the meeting, said: "This has been a magnificent response that shows the depth of feeling over these proposals.
"It is about the people of Bracknell coming together to fight these plans."
At a meeting of the Community Health Council the following day, Dr Cobb addressed members of the committee and around 40 members of the public.
Lives
He told them it was vital to centralise services at Slough to provide the public with better health care. He said there were problems recruiting enough staff in Ascot, making it difficult to keep the units open.
Heatherwood ambulanceman Steve Hartley, of Crown Wood, Bracknell, predicted the move would cost lives.
He said: "How many people realise we are devoid of ambulance cover if every patient is transferred?"
The Campaign For the NHS will hold another meeting next Monday at 8pm at Great Hollands Health Centre. Anyone interested in joining a campaign committee should go along.
Extract Bracknell Times 14/09/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by two photos.
The first showed a picture of Heatherwood Maternity unit and
the second was a picture of a baby in a cot.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photos here.

 

Special Care Unit Closed

Two Heatherwood babies found to have infection
By Susan Marshall
Heatherwood Hospital has been forced to close its special care baby unit, after two tiny babies were discovered with an infection.
The babies were found to be carrying MRSA, an extremely resistant bacteria which does not respond easily to antibiotic treatment, while being cared for at the unit.
Heatherwood's special care baby unit has closed its doors to new admissions since the first infection was discovered two weeks ago. Babies in need of special care are being transferred to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
This closure will add fuel to arguments against the possible movement of the unit to Slough.
The first baby found to be infected with the bacteria has now been released from hospital.
Another baby from the Heatherwood unit is also thought to be carrying the bacteria, Mr Mackness said.
If babies needing special care develop the full-blown infection they would become significantly more ill, Mr Mackness said. He said it is not a particularly rare infection or necessarily life threatening. There have been a couple of other outbreaks at East Berkshire hospitals already this year, he said.
Babies receiving care at the unit when the first case was diagnosed remained at the special care unit because of fears that they would spread the infection.
Swabs have been taken from babies and special care staff in a bid to track down the source of the infection and to find out if others have been infected.
The swab results are still being collected.
John Neate, general manager at Heatherwood, said expectant mums should not be alarmed.
He said: "A short while ago it was discovered that a baby in the unit had MRSA. We felt it was important to take steps and safeguard other babies and decided that those in the unit at the time should remain there until ready to go home.
"We agreed not to admit any other babies to the unit. The baby with MRSA has now been discharged but it was discovered a few days ago that another baby had the bacteria.
"We do not want to see mothers alarmed unnecessarily.
The vast majority will not need special care and those that do will have such facilities available for them. We are in close contact with Wexham Park."
He said neither of the babies had become ill with the infection. It had not been difficult to find beds for babies in other hospital units, he added. Mr Mackness said the scare had not forced the closure of maternity.
He said: "If we know a mother will need the special care then we have looked at sending her straight to Wexham.
"If the mother has arrived and then it is found she and her baby needs such treatment we can still look at transferral."
Reverend Sebastian Jones, vicar of All Souls Church, South Ascot, said he was opposed to the possible closure of the special baby care unit at Ascot and feared the consequences of a super bug hitting such a unit if that unit was the only one for the area.
Health chiefs are currently considering a proposal to move the special baby care, accident and emergency, paediatric and obstetric units from Ascot to Slough.
Extract Bracknell Times 21/09/1989

 

Hospital Protest Opposed

A plan to form a human chain from Bracknell to Ascot in protest at health authority proposals to move vital services from Heatherwood Hospital has been opposed by police.
Superintendent Peter Cusworth said he would not be prepared to use vital manpower to police the demonstration and said the human chain could put lives at risk.
He said: "It is a very busy road and these numbers of people would be putting themselves at risk."
East Berkshire Health Authority member Bill Wreglesworth wanted to stage the demonstration to show local outrage at the plans.
His human chain idea is part of a mass campaign now gathering pace across Bracknell to throw out proposals to close Heatherwood's casualty unit.
He said: "It is hot enough to write letters in protest, we need something more visual so that the strength of feeling of people in Bracknell can be seen."
He said before organising any human chain from Bracknell to Ascot, the police would be fully consulted.
Heatherwood's special care baby unit has re-opened following a recent health alert.
Two babies at the unit contracted an infection while receiving care a few weeks ago and the unit was closed to new admissions.
General manager John Neate said the unit had opened again on Monday afternoon.
Neither of the babies originally found to be carrying the infection had developed the disease.
Extract Bracknell Times 28/09/1989

 

Disjointed Thinking Which Fails To Match Supply & Demand

Yet another letter about the Heatherwood Hospital closure! We have every right to be seriously alarmed at the proposed closure of Heatherwood's accident and emergency department, the maternity, children's and special care baby unit.
The Health District Authority's plan will undoubtedly save money, but at what cost in human and health terms.
Our health service copes with emergencies extremely well. We hear nothing but praise after disasters like King's Cross and Clapham. The disasters that may be coming to us may be generated within the health service. There are two which should concern us.
The Super Bug"-Bugs like legionnaires disease which can close a whole unit down, or multi resistant organisms which are new and have developed a resistance to antibiotics.
These germs can be staff carried by healthy people but affect babies, old people and the weak. They lead to the isolation or closure of parts of hospitals and are not uncommon.
In today's world these "super bugs" will grow in power and variety. At present when one strikes, a neighbouring hospital helps out an ambulance ride away. But the bigger the hospital, the more vulnerable we are, and the bigger the hospital the less help there is from its neighbours.
Staff shortage at the time of writing part of the children's department at Wexham Park hospital is closed because it cannot be staffed.
Recently Wexham could not raise a casualty officer. They closed Heatherwood and deployed our staff.
If a hospital becomes too big it cannot raise a staff from locality and becomes unable to function. (Small is beautiful and brings local staff loyalty.)
What is the point of building excellent hospital buildings with splendid equipment if you cannot care for the patients with the right staff because you are too dependent in one small area I doubt if many midwives, children's nurses and casualty staff will move from Heatherwood to Wexham.
A more serious disaster scenario is the highly likely combination of "super bug and staff shortage, i.e. baby unit in Hospital A is closed with a super bug (it has happened on more than one occasion).
Hospital B is only half operative because of staff shortage (it has happened). You cannot transfer the staff from A because one might be a carrier.
Other hospitals in the area cannot help out because they are already taking Hospital B's patients. What do we do? Surely the preventative measure must be to have a number of medium sized hospitals rather than a few "super hospitals" which will get even more vulnerable to the internally generated health service disasters.
Sebastian Jones, Vicar of South Ascot, Anglican Chaplain to Heatherwood Hospital.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 28/09/1989

 

Help Ease Our Health Crisis, Comrades!

Susan Marshall reports on a search for doctors behind the Iron Curtain
Health service chiefs have gone behind the Iron Curtain to recruit junior doctors who will serve in Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
Managers at East Berkshire Health Authority have recruited junior doctors from Poland and Hungary to work as anaesthetists across the district in a bid to beat a staffing crisis.
It is one of a number of moves to try and stave off the problems that under staffing causes, such as growing waiting lists and cancelled operations.
Consultant anaesthetist Dr Richard Jack, based at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, inspired this most original recruitment drive.
Three doctors are already working in Heatherwood, Wexham Park and King Edward VII hospitals, with two more expected to join them shortly. When all the Eastern Bloc doctors have arrived, there will be two from Poland and three from Hungary.
Considerable
Health authority members welcomed the new initiative at a meeting last Wednesday and chairman Donald McWilliam said it was an idea that may expand to other posts in the health service.
A report presented to health authority members says: "East Berkshire continues to experience considerable difficulties in the recruitment and retention of staff in some areas."
High mortgages and a shortage of affordable accommodation have compounded the authority's efforts to attract more staff.
Personal managers are investigating the possibility of obtaining preferential mortgage rates from building societies so staff can afford to move to the area.
One of this health authority's major problems is felt by businesses too: there is a high turnover of people passing through the county.
Julie Leatherbarrow, a personnel manager for the health authority, said the geographical position of the district, next to London's labour market, made recruitment difficult.
Vacancies
She said: "In terms of retention, the district has the highest turnover rate in the region." But one plus point is that long-term vacancies are low relative to the rest of the Oxford region.
One of the Ascot hospital's attractions is a new creche. Despite fears that it would prove too ex- pensive for many nurses, the creche has got off to a popular start, said Heatherwood assistant general manager Jacqueline Clark. With space for 16 children and nine babies up to the age of two, the creche looks after about 12 youngsters a day.
The desperate need for more staff affects health bosses at all levels. In July, Heatherwood general manager John Neate openly appealed for trained nurses in Bracknell to help the hospital out and return to work.
This push to find more staff could affect us all: one of the reasons the health authority is considering moving vital services like casualty from Ascot to Slough is to ease the staffing crisis.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 28/09/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The caption read Heatherwood: Facing a crisis. A shot of the Maternity unit was used.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Human Chain Protest Over Heatherwood

Bracknell residents opposed to plans to move vital services from Heatherwood Hospital are being urged to join hands as part of a mass demonstration next Sunday.
Community groups, churches, youth organisations and political parties will link hands and form a human chain from Bracknell town centre's bandstand to the Ascot hospital gates. Organiser Bill Wreglesworth, a member of Bracknell Forest Borough Council and East Berkshire Health Authority, said he hoped up to 10,000 people will turn out for the protest.
Seven roads will be closed once the human chain is in place, as protesters join hands in minute of unified opposition to health authority plans.
East Berkshire Health Authority has proposed to move the accident and emergency, special care baby, paediatric and obstetric units from Ascot and centralise them in Slough.
Bracknell police say special constables will be on hand to line the route.
The Save Heatherwood Campaign Committee, which originally gave the chain protest a luke warm reception, gave their backing to the demonstration at its meeting on Monday night.
Mr Wreglesworth told the campaign committee: "The slogan on the posters reads If You Care You Will Be There.'
"This demonstration will show what the strength of feeling on this issue really is."
Extract Bracknell Times 05/10/1989

 

Doubt Over Future of Cancer Laser

The future of a £40,000 laser for the treatment of cervical cancer at Heatherwood Hospital is uncertain. It would be impossible to predict what would happen to various pieces of equipment if the East Berkshire Health Authority decide to move the accident and emergency and other units from Heatherwood to Wexham Park in Slough, said health authority spokesman Brian Mackness.
The laser was bought with money raised by local people and businesses and presented to the hospital on their behalf by the Charitable Association Supplying Hospitals (CASH), of which Mr Mackness is also a trustee. What will happen to the gynaecology department, where the CO2 laser is based, is still unclear and could remain so even if health authority members decide to move A and E and other units, said Mr Mackness.
A 'Life-Pak', which is a cardiac care and resuscitation unit, would move if the casualty unit was moved out of Heatherwood. One of these was bought with money raised under the hospital charity.
Other pieces of equipment bought with money raised locally look set to stay at the Ascot hospital despite the future of the life-saving emergency services.
A colposcope, also used in the diagnosis of cervical cancer, will probably stay at Heatherwood because it deals with the the disease and would the diagnosis of form part of the outpatient service which would remain at all costs.
A heating and air conditioning unit at the antenatal clinic bought by fund raisers would also stay, predicted Mr Mackness. But a piece of equipment bought for delicate knee operations could be in the long-term if the hospital receives the shake-up.
Mr Mackness said that whatever hospital the equipment is used at,it will treat the people of East Berkshire. If the laser is moved to Slough, for example Bracknell women would still be treated by it - but at Slough rather than Ascot.
Cash has been awarded a certificate of merit for the £85,000 worth of equipment it has provided for East Berkshire hospitals in the last six years. It has bought 29 pieces of valuable equipment for the hospitals of East Berkshire since it was started in 1983.
The certificate was awarded under a national scheme recognising community service.
All three Bracknell members of East Berkshire Health Authority are opposed to proposals to close vital services at Heatherwood Hospital.
The one Labour and two Conservative members of the authority have said they will vote against the plans.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 05/10/1989

 

Crawling Out To Raise Funds

Children at Heatherwood Hospital were delighted with a new television presented by fun loving fund raisers.
Five fund raisers collected £130 after completing a fancy dress pub crawl on September 2, with one 77- year-old lady dressed as a bunny girl.
Organiser Margaret Jacobs, of Roman Hill, Bracknell, said the eight pub crawl started at the Canny Man Pub in Hanworth.
Margaret, together with Lucy Tregiga aged 77, Siobhan Williams, aged 13, Michelle Mott, aged 14, and Debbie Healey, aged 13, had intended fund-raising at the Bracknell Cable TV fun day but were soon persuaded the pub crawl would be a nice little earner.
Margaret, a nurse at Wokingham Hospital, said: "We decided to raise the money for the Rainbow Children's Ward at Heatherwood because my sister-in-law is a nurse there and she said they needed another television.
"We were pleased at the amount we raised."
Children and staff at the hospital were presented with the television last Tuesday.
Extract Bracknell Times 05/10/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The Caption Margaret Jacobs (Centre) At Heatherwood hospital with the new television presented by fundraisers
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Church Services Held Early To Help Protest

Two Ascot churches will call their congregations to Sunday service early this weekend so that parishioner's can join a protest against proposals to move vital services from Heatherwood Hospital.
The North Ascot Baptist Church and All Saints in South Ascot will hold their services an hour early at 9.30am so local people can join other demonstrators at 11am in a human chain stretching from Bracknell to Heatherwood in Ascot.
Organizer Bill Wreglesworth said he was delighted with the response to his protest plan and hoped everyone who objected to the possible closures would line the route from Charles Square in Bracknell to the gates of Heatherwood on Sunday. About 8,000 people are needed to line the four mile route in one of the most extraordinary public protests the town has seen.
Hardened NHS campaigners and members of the public will assemble along the route from about 10.30am for the 11am link-up.
Mr Wreglesworth, Bracknell Forest Borough Councillor and member of East Berkshire Health Authority which will decide the hospital's future, said he hoped young people and children would also join hands.
"I hope all the teenagers who will be mums themselves in years to come or young sportsmen who may need the accident and emergency unit will come along," he said.
Contact Mr Wreglesworth on Bracknell 420917 if you want to protest and would like more information and a map of the route.
East Berkshire Health Authority will meet next week to vote on the controversial proposal to move casualty, obstetric, paediatric and special care baby units from Ascot to Slough.
Extract Bracknell Times 12/10/1989

 

This Plan Will Kill Of Heatherwood

Ascot's Heatherwood hospital would die if a plan to remove life-saving units from the hospital goes ahead next week, a specialist told an angry group of protestors on Thursday.
Hundreds of people, including MP Andrew MacKay and hospital manager John Neate, rallied for the North Ascot Community Association meeting and vowed to fight for the threatened services.
Dr Joe Warren, consultant anaesthetist, Bracknell Forest Borough Councillor and chairman of the consultant staff committee and management group for Heatherwood, said: "The chairman of the Health Authority should sack director of planning Dr Jeremy Cobb and then he should resign."
East Berkshire Health authority officers have proposed that casualty, obstetric, paediatric, and special care baby units are moved from Heatherwood Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
Heatherwood obstetrician Stanley Simmons told the meeting that if the services were pulled out of Heatherwood then the hospital itself would be finished.
Dr Joe Warren said he had been asked whether the closure proposals were viable.
He replied: "Yes they are viable. But will someone who has had a heart attack in Bracknell town be viable when he is transported through the traffic to Slough. Will a small child who has swallowed a pea down the wrong way be viable. The answer is no."
But health officers said they face an increasing cash crisis and staffing problems. By 1996, they say the authority will face a £1.5 million shortfall in revenue.
But Bracknell Forest Borough Council leader Alan Ward said the authority was "pretty incompetent" if it could not find the money within its budgets.
East Berkshire MP Andrew MacKay told the meeting: "If we are going to win this battle we can only do so in an active, united campaign." He said the proposals would prove disastrous to the growing town of Bracknell, particularly as up to 4,000 new homes have been forced on the north of the town by 1996.
He said: "It is unacceptable that mums with sick children should have to spend a few hours getting to Slough. The public transport between the towns is appalling system."
Mr MacKay said the hospital would not be forced to close completely because of the millions of pounds planned to improve existing services and units at Heatherwood, including new operating theatres.
He said if the health authority voted to move the vital units he would demand an emergency adjournment debate in the House of Commons.
He added: "I pledge to you that I am doing everything possible to make sure these units stay open.
I have the support of everyone in the community and I know we have logic, good sense and right on our side. We will win this once and for all."
Heatherwood general manager John Neate spoke out in public against the plans for the first time. He said: "I am totally against transferring services to Slough."
Extract Bracknell Times 12/10/1989

 

Labour Claims Political Tricks Over Unit Closures

A Bracknell Labour leader has claimed the proposal to move vital services from Heather- wood Hospital is a political sham.
Labour party agent John Tompkins said he believed the Conservative Party would never allow the hospital to lose life saving units.
He said the East Berkshire Health Authority's suggestion to do so was a party political confidence trick to win support for local Tory leaders who are publicly fighting the proposal.
He said: "If the Tories allow it to close they will be committing political suicide they know this because of the opinion polls and the size of the protest petition."
But MP Andrew MacKay rubbished these ideas.
He said: "This matter is going to take a long time to resolve.
"I'm saddened that the local Labour party are choosing to make party political points over the future of Heatherwood, which is of grave concern to everyone in the local community.
But he added: "This plan is nothing directly to do with the government. It is about strategy and logistics, not finance."
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 12/10/1989

 

D-day in Fight for Hospital Services

Protesters were set to stage a demonstration today in a bid to save vital services which are under threat of closure at a Berkshire hospital.
East Berkshire health bosses were meeting at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital today to decide whether to call in consultants to find solutions for such problems as staff shortages and lack of cash.
Hospital campaigners were lobbying members as they walked through Heatherwood's gates for the meeting and a petition with more than 66,000 signatures was to be handed over to the health authority.
East Berkshire Community Health Council last night backed calls for a report by independent management consultants on the future of Heatherwood.
Staff
Council members warned health bosses, who were planning to transfer Heatherwood's casualty, maternity and special care facilities to Slough's Wexham Park Hospital, that they wanted all services to be retained.
The proposal to introduce a team of independent advisers would put the closure plans for the Heatherwood facilities on ice.
But it has received a mixed reception. Critics say the investigation will cause uncertainty in the community and among nursing staff.
They believe the threat of closure could still loom large next year.
But some campaigners have welcomed the move. They say a consultants' report would encourage other solutions to be found and would offer Heatherwood Hospital a temporary reprieve.
Extract Evening Post 18/10/1989

 

Heatherwood Reprieve Greeted Suspiciously

by Jo Haynes Campaigners battling to save Heatherwood Hospital have slammed health chiefs' plans for a study by top management consultants as a waste of money which could be better spent on patients.
Planners at East Berkshire Health Authority have made a last minute U-turn over proposals to move the accident and emergency, paediatric, obstetric and special care baby units to Wexham Park in Slough.
They asked health authority members this week to give the services an 11th-hour reprieve and approve the appointment of a team of management consultants to find an alternative solution to financial and manpower problems.
But the change of heart has been greeted with suspicion among many campaigners who fear it may just delay the inevitable.
John McDougall, senior GMB steward at Heatherwood who has organized a protest petition of more than 66,000 signatures said: "This is only a stop gap. "Perhaps in six months when public opinion has died down, the proposals will rear their ugly heads again and they will decide to implement the cuts."
Morale
Staff morale at the hospital would only suffer further until the management team took its proposals to the health authority next spring, he added.
Bracknell Forest Borough councillor Bill Wreglesworth, who organized a human protest chain at the weekend, said the move was a waste of money.
Health chiefs have refused to reveal how much the study will cost, but Coun Wreglesworth predicts at least £60,000. He said: "I am not impressed let us spend this money on the patients instead.
"At the health authority, we have the brains and expertise in our officers. If they do not know the answer, what the hell will this achieve?"
The chairman of the Save Heatherwood Hospital Campaign group reflected those concerns. Paul Timperley - also secretary of the Bracknell based Campaign for the NHS said: "I believe the money would be far better spent on patient care.
In a report to the health authority meeting yesterday, officers admitted that public out cry and concern among senior medical staff had forced them to rethink their plans.
David Treloar, authority general manager, said: We are laying the foundations for hospital services to take us into the 21st century. We have to make sure we have looked at everything to get the right answer."
Authority spokesman Brian Mackness pointed out that the dilemma facing the district had not been solved and it was possible that the management team would conclude there is no alternative to cuts at Heatherwood.
He said the cost of the study was thought to be a small price to pay for getting the right solution to the problem.
In discussions with senior doctors, several consultants suggested the idea of a super hospital in the centre of the district and that is an option certain to be studied by the management team, if a study is approved by authority members.
Extract Bracknell Times 19/10/1989

 

Staffing Crisis Hits Operations

Heatherwood Hospital is still in the grip of a serious staffing crisis with operations cancelled and some vacancies remaining unfilled for 18 months.
The Ascot hospital's temporary basis." general manager,John Neate, says surgeons are unable to use all operating time available because of a chronic shortage of theatre nursing staff.
The problem was long term and meant waiting lists were growing, he admitted.
Heatherwood's gynaecology ward has fewer than half the permanent staff it needs, with nine of the 16 posts filled by temporary workers.
The unit had to close 12 of its 28 beds in the summer as temporary staff stayed at home to look after their children and there are fears the same problem could arise during the Christmas school holidays.
Yolanda Peon, director of midwifery and gynaecological services, said: "We have had nine vacancies on the gynaecology ward more or less for a year and a half. ,"Housing is so expensive here - which is the main problem.
"We can only function because we have bank staff working here on a temporary basis.
Patient care was not at risk because the bank staff the were employed by East Berkshire Health Authority and knew emergency procedures at the hospital, she added.
But she admitted that beds had been closed when the temporary staff could not work because bringing in agency staff - would have dangerous as they did not know emergency procedures.
Mr Neate says he is unable to give any assurances that all the unit's beds can be kept open during the Christmas holidays.
He said: "Our greatest problem is still with theatre nursing staff. There continues to be a number of sessions cancelled on a regular basis. That is having an impact on waiting lists."
Extract Bracknell Times 19/10/1989

 

A "Super Hospital" to Centralise Services

A NEW hospital in the middle of East Berkshire may be the answer to urgent financial and staffing problems pressing the health authority.
The deeply unpopular option to close life saving services at Heatherwood Hospital and concentrate them at Slough has now been put on ice while a team of consultants investigate ways of solving the authority's problems.
One important option now revealed is a "super hospital" which would be located in the middle of the east Berkshire area, centralising all the acute hospital services.
Phil Jacques, assistant administrator at East Berkshire Health Authority, said: "The idea of a new hospital for East Berkshire is not pie in the sky it is something we are seriously considering."
He said a new site would help solve the problems of attempt to rationalise services on one of the existing sites, Heatherwood or Wexham Park in Slough.
Both these sites seemed to be too far from the other's population centres and public opinion was firmly opposed to the movement of units from Ascot to Slough, he said. The huge new project, which would need government approval and funding, is not yet on the drawing board.
Extract Bracknell Times 26/10/1989

 

Heatherwood Decision Applauded by Mackay

MP Andrew MacKay has applauded last week's health authority decision to shelve plans to close life-saving services at Heatherwood Hospital.
The East Berkshire MP hailed the appointment of a team of consultants to review cash-saving options as a sensible decision and a great victory for public opinion.
He said: "In the six years I have been MP here there has been no other I occasion when the local people have responded so quickly and strongly to an issue."
He said the protests and the council opposition to the East Berkshire Health Authority proposal to close the casualty, paediatric, obstetric and special care baby units had made his fight against the plans easier.
Services
Mr MacKay had asked for an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on the controversial option to move the vital services from Ascot to Slough.
Bracknell Forest borough councillors have pledged to continue to fight any threat to the hospital services in Ascot.
Coun Bill Wreglesworth said: "This is not a reprieve but a stay of execution for Heatherwood.'
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 26/10/1989

 

Hospital Overhaul Could Be Thrown Into Chaos

IT would only take one of East Berkshire's hospitals to choose to opt out and become self-governing to throw the area's planned overhaul into chaos, a Bracknell pressure group has told the area's health watchdog.
secretary of the Paul Timperley, Bracknell-based Campaign for the NHS, says he is frightened by the complacency of East Berkshire Community Health Council over the Government's NHS reforms.
He told the annual public meeting of the CHC last week that the mid-term strategy, drawn up by East Berkshire Health Authority to take health services into the 21st century, was balanced on a knife edge.
The meeting had been discussing the mid-term strategy, which has been revised to include proposals to axe the casualty, paediatric, obstetric and special care baby units from Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital. CHC chairman Brian Rockell pointed out that none of East Berkshire's hospitals had made any moves towards self-governing status.
Members of Bracknell's health watchdog have agreed to look at the danger of superbugs hitting patients if acute services are moved from Heatherwood Hospital.
They were alerted to the potential risk by the Rev Sebastian Jones, vicar of All Souls Church, South Ascot, and chaplain of Heatherwood.
At the annual public meeting of East Berkshire Community Health Council on Tuesday, Mr Jones asked: "Has the CHC given any thought to the new types of superbugs which do have the effect of closing down parts of hospitals? "The bugs are often carried by staff and are affecting the very young an very old and the bigger the hospital the greater the danger."
The proposed closure of Heatherwood's casualty, paediatric, obstetric and special care baby units would leave no alternative hospitals in the district if a superbug struck at Wexham Park in Slough, he said.
He pointed out that Heatherwood's special care baby unit had to close for 10 days last month after babies were found to be carrying a resistant bacterial infection.
Brian Rockell, CHC chairman, admitted members had not considered the specific problem.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 26/10/1989

 

Woman Sues Hospital For Negligence 20 Years On

By Dawn Doherty A Berkshire woman has started a High Court battle for compensation more than 20 years after she alleges she received negligent medical treatment at a Berkshire hospital.
Lindsay Bryant, 29, of Golden Ball Lane. Maidenhead claims medical staff failed to diagnose a hip condition while she was a child patient at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot.
Miss Bryant, who uses a walking stick. is suing East Berkshire Health Authority for damages. She claimed in a writ she was given negligent treatment at Heatherwood between July 1963 and August 1968.
Her solicitor Jacinta Peake said the case centred on an alleged failure to diagnose Miss Bryant had a congenital dysplastic hip, a condition in which the hip spontaneously dislocates.
She said: "The allegation is that because they failed to diagnose this, she has suffered residual problems as a result."
Mrs Peake said Miss Bryant's condition had only come to light "very much later". "In medical negligence cases it is quite frequently a considerable number of years after the treatment that is complained of before the patient knows she has a worthwhile course of action."
Condition
The lawsuit was filed in court by Miss Bryant's solicitors Pannone Blackburn of Manchester, which has a specialist department dealing with medical negligence claims.
A spokesman for East Berkshire Health Authority said: "I can confirm Miss Bryant has commenced legal action against the authority in respect of an alleged failure to diagnose a condition in the 1960's.
"The case is at the very early stages. Her solicitors have only just filed the notice of claim against the authority.
"The case will be defended by the authority."
Extract Evening Post 01/11/1989

 

£10 Million Facelift For Heatherwood

Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital could be in line for a £10 million facelift if health bosses decide to cut their losses and abandon plans for a new hospital in the area.
The Oxford Regional Health Authority has just submitted an application to build four new wards, four operating theatres, a day unit and a pathology unit at the hospital.
But the East Berkshire Health Authority, which falls under the authority of the Oxford region, has decided to employ a top team of consultants to look at the possibility of building one hospital to serve the area now covered by Wexham Park and Heatherwood.
Regional health authority bosses originally backed the first phase of the multi-million pound development at Heatherwood back in May before the storm broke out over plans to close down casualty, special baby care, obstetric and paediatric units at the hospital.
Now they want planners at Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council to consider the application so they can keep it as an alternative option.
The four extra acute wards would bring a total of 104 beds to Heatherwood. Two of them would care for the acute elderly. General manager of Heatherwood and King Edward V11 hospitals John Neate said: "These capital schemes would enable us to transfer acute hospital services from King Edward in Windsor to Heatherwood."
But he added: "We are still planning to make an investment at Heatherwood and are pressing ahead with planning and design.
"We need to carry on with the capital schemes but the final decision depends on consultation with the health authority next year."
Philip Jacques, East Berkshire Health Authority spokesman, said that the health authority would not make a decision on the plans for a district general hospital serving both Slough and Bracknell until next February or March.
Extract Bracknell Times 02/11/1989

 

Playing For Time Over Heatherwood

So now we can all see how these bungling bureaucrats endeavour to shed their responsibilities and do a neat sidestep to gain yet more time by calling outside management consultants to advise them on how best to arrange hospital services in East Berks.
It was a job the Health Authority was asked to do, supposedly to deal with the problem of medical staff shortages and although we have seen a number of smokescreens raised, the question of finance overspending on budgets,not underfunding we are told, had to be dealt with.
I shudder to think what the cost of this latest announcement is going to cost the taxpayer and the Health Service by the time it is actually finished.
It has been stated that it should be completed by the end of February 1990. I personally very much doubt this.
With extension of time to complete the task, I can well see this exercise costing not far short of the £200K cutback or saving to be made in the original mid-term strategy.
In any case what can these management consultants come up with to satisfy the needs of penny pinchers in the Government that the original health authority planning team have not already considered?
I have now attended a number of meetings called by the East Berks Health Authority and the Community Health Council and have to say that I can just about comprehend how our local democracy for the Health Service is operating in East Berks.
One golden rule is no confrontations or else the communication system would be at risk and, secondly, each committee of well intended people are trying to do a good job with one hand tied behind their backs.
What a great pity we cannot have the direct opinions of professional people like Doctor Joe Warren and Stan Simmons taken seriously, who I listened to at the North Ascot meeting.
It was the first time I could begin to understand the serious problems they are facing, i.e. junior doctors working over 100 hours per week and the serious nursing shortages at both Heatherwood and even Wexham Park.
I do not regard finance or affordable budgets as a serious problem. The glossy leaflet by the Department of Health states "Working for Patients" and putting the needs of patients first.
Either we do this or the whole thing is a sham coupled with sheer hypocrisy.
We must insist that this hospital with all its existing services is maintained and improved on as necessary.
The campaign to save the NHS will continue to fight all the way on this Heatherwood issue.
Finally, there are approximately 50 acres of building land at the rear of Heatherwood, ideal for providing much improved accommodation for medical and nursing staff with full recreational facilities, also extra wards for the ageing population problem. WJR Hignell, St Andrews Home Farm, Bracknell.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 02/11/1989

 

Bracknell & Easthampstead

Recent controversy about proposals to close units at Heatherwood have increased difficulties in recruiting staff.
Now an open day is planned to attract nurses back to the hospital.
There are particular difficulties with gynaecological staff and this problem is shared with Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
The open day, on November 8, will be in the post-graduate centre at the King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor from 10.45am until 2.30pm.
The hospitals are interested in either trained or untrained staff.
Visitors to the open day will be taken round either unit later.
Ring Heatherwood on Ascot 23333 for more information.
Extract Bracknell Times 02/11/1989

 

Women Face A Long Wait For Treatment

Women in East Berkshire are having to wait up to 23 weeks for non-urgent gynaecology treatment.
Some of those waiting for out-patient treatment are on the list of East Berkshire's first woman gynaecologist Jane Spring.
Miss Spring joined the district about a year ago and is based mainly at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital. She and the district's other four gynaecologists are battling against a rising tide of gynaecology referrals.
The number has risen since Miss Spring's appointment, but Brian Mackness, director of support services for the East Berkshire Health Authority, said it couldn't be attributed purely to the appointment of a female gynaecologist.
He said: "A number of women prefer to consult a female gynaecologist. We are not surprised that a year after we appointed Jane Spring she has attracted a large number of referrals to her waiting lists."
East Berkshire Health Authority chairman Dr Donald McWilliams, confirmed that waiting lists have grown since Miss Spring's appointment.
He said that the current waiting list situation was "most unsatisfactory" and that more was being done to try and solve the problem.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 16/11/1989

 

More Aid Needed To Beat Alcohol Abuse

Chronic Shortage of Health Care Workers In Bracknell
By Jim Stevens
A new health report highlights the chronic shortage of specialist social workers in Bracknell to cater for the needs of the mentally ill.
The report, which was compiled by the Health Advisory Service and the DHSS Inspectorate, also singles out Bracknell as an area which requires more services to cater with the problems of alcohol abuse.
And it calls on the county council to plough more money back into mental health resources and introduce more community mental health teams from different health disciplines.
The report states: "The total senior social worker and social worker establishments for the three geographical divisions (Bracknell, Slough and Windsor and Maidenhead) illustrate how low a priority mental health has received to date."
Outside of the Heatherwood Day Unit for the mentally ill there are no specialist social workers working out in the community at present.
With 18 per cent of all admissions to Heatherwood Hospital's mental health department being alcohol related the report urges health chiefs to make more money available for alcohol services.
Barry Nicholson, divisional director of Bracknell social services, admitted that alcohol was a big problem for the mentally ill in Bracknell. He said: "It does seem to be behind an enormous number of problems en- countered by the health authority and ourselves." But he said that the Slough based Community Alcohol Team were trying to make inroads in Bracknell.
Whilst acknowledging that more resources were needed in the community Mr Nicholson said that social services chiefs had consciously decided to keep specialist social workers in the day centre at Heatherwood.
He also praised the work of staff at the Whitmarsh Drop-in Centre which is open five days a week and run jointly by the social services and MIND.
But the report says the day care needs of Bracknell people should come under close scrutiny.
It says: "Whitmarsh centre is well conceived but can cater for only a part of the unmet day care needs in Bracknell.
It is minimally funded and, because of this and the absence of a functioning mental health team in Bracknell, the potential of the centre is not fully appreciated and developed."
The need for a psychiatric day hospital at Heatherwood should be carefully assessed, says the report.
The proposals put forward in the report will be discussed the East Berkshire health authority at its December meeting.
Extract Bracknell Times 23/11/1989

 

A Mother's Moving Story

I feel compelled to write to you after recently hearing of the supposed merger between Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital.
From January to June of this year I was a patient in the ante natal unit at Heatherwood and I could not even begin to tell you about the wonderful treatment I received while I was there.
I had been pregnant five times before and each pregnancy ended in disaster.
None of the babies survived. Basically my obstetric history is appalling and after having spoken to the so called hierarchy and top doctors of Harley Street, I was told to never contemplate having any more children.
As you can imagine my feelings on this matter are very strong and I am presently in the process of compiling a book on my thoughts, experiences and treatment in the hope that it will provide useful information to women in similar situations to mine.
I was then recommended to Mr Trickey, who is a consultant gynaecologist at Heatherwood, by my local GP after having lost yet another baby.
I would like it to go down on record that I feel it would be a great shame if this proposed merger went about, as after having experienced various forms of medical care (private, large hospitals, teaching hospitals) Heatherwood has got to be the best hospital ever.
And I truly believe that it works because it is a small unit and because the staff genuinely care.
A lot of the problems with my previous pregnancies were human problems and human error which I now know could have been avoided.
Thanks to the support of Heatherwood and its staff, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy and I know it wouldn't have been possible without their care.
Heatherwood is a hospital above all others.
If this merger takes place it will be a loss to the community as a whole.
Heatherwood is the best because it is small.
During my stay at Heatherwood I came in contact with many patients and I know that every single one will be opposed to this merger.
I would appreciate it if you could let me know if there is anything I can do to help stop this terrible decision.
You can contact me at work during the day or on my home number in the evening.
I can't explain how strongly I feel about this issue and how much I want to do something to help.
Irene Khajevand, Richings Park, Iver, Bucks.
Extract Bracknell Times 30/11/1989

 

Cash Aid For Hospital

Vital life-saving equipment has been given to medical staff at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital, paid for with money raised by East Berkshire residents.
Dr David Thomas, a consultant at Heatherwood, presented the hospital's accident and emergency department with an all-purpose resuscitator on behalf of the Charitiable Association Supplying Hospitals (CASH) for East Berkshire.
CASH also presented the physiotherapy and gynaecology units with smaller pieces of equipment, said secretary of the fund-raising co-ordinators Christine Callund.
Heatherwood still needs the life-saving equipment to carry on treating patients despite recent speculation about the future of casualty and other services, said Mrs Callund.
"The hospitals are still working normally and need this equipment," she said. Fund-raising has been hit by the uncertainty surrounding the future of some services at Heatherwood and Mrs Callund appealed for people to carry on collecting.
New equipment will be needed for a long time to come whatever the health authority decides, she said. CASH collects money raised by local people to buy equipment for East Berkshire's nine hospitals.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 30/11/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The Photo displayed members of the staff of Heatherwood and some of the life saving equipment provided.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Heatherwood's Big Day

Heatherwood Hospital has proudly celebrated the completion of its £500,000 training and education centre.
But the Ascot hospital is desperate for help to raise more cash to pay for the special centre that will help train medical professionals from all over East Berkshire.
Bracknell Forest Borough Council Mayor Arthur Cheney declared the new building open with hospital general manager John Neate last Thursday.
Extract Wokingham Times 07/12/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The Photo displayed members of the staff of Heatherwood and some of the life saving equipment provided.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Heatherwood's New Training Centre Is Opened

by Susan Marshall
Heatherwood Hospital has proudly celebrated the completion of its £500,000 training and education centre.
But the Ascot hospital is desperate for help to raise more cash to pay for the special centre that will help train medical professionals from all over East Berkshire.
Bracknell Forest Borough Council Mayor Arthur Cheney declared the new building open with hospital general manager John Neate last Thursday.
Current
Assistant general manager Jacqueline Clark said the hospital had set a fund-raising target of £100,000 to help pay for the unit but this still had to be reached.
The money had been lent to the hospital so construction could begin. But another £50,000 needs to be found before the end of the current financial year.
Catering
Miss Clark asked local fund raisers and companies to consider helping the hospital and suggested Bracknell firms might like to follow Panasonic's example and sponsor a room in the centre which would be named after them.
Miss Clark said: "Heatherwood House training and education centre will be for all groups of staff and hopefully for people outside the health authority who might like to hire the conference or lecture theatres."
With catering facilities also available, Miss Clark said the centre could be an important source of income as well as an essential centre for medical staff in East Berkshire.
She said: "It's an excellent facility for us and also for the local community."
Extract Bracknell Times 07/12/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The captioned The Mayor With John Neate At Heatherwood.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Ascot & Sunningdale

Rotaract is a club for 18 to 29 year old men and women.
There are links with Rotary International/ The Rotaract Club of Ascot was formed in February and was Recognised by District at a Charter Ball on October 20.
The aim of Rotaract is to provide members with a very active social life and to engage in all sorts of charitable work and fund-raising.
Most recently the Ascot club raised £300 for Heatherwood Hospital Radio by holding a plastic duck race and two teams took part in the Beaujolais Run organised by Windsor and Eton Rotaract to raise funds for a laser at the King Edward VII Hospital.
Future meetings will include talks from representatives charitable of organisations, local companies, the services and so on.
In addition there is a full social programme.
If you are interested in joining Rotaract, please telephone Caroline on Ascot 22925 or Anthony on Ascot 23954.
Extract Bracknell Times 07/12/1989

 

New Heatherwood Training centre

Bracknell council chiefs have pledged £10,000 to a new post-graduate training and education centre at Heatherwood hospital.
And they are preparing to give vital evidence to management consultants engaged by the health authority to consider the hospital's long term future in Ascot.
Council leader Alan Ward told a meeting of the full council last Thursday that he was delighted to be able to support the hospital.
He said: "This has given us the opportunity to put our money where our mouths are over this issue. For this reason it gives me more pleasure than normal to make this donation."
Earlier this year the health authority unveiled proposals to close the casualty ward and other life saving services at Heatherwood.
This provoked a storm of protest around Bracknell and the abandonment of the plans.
Now management consultants Touche Ross are preparing evidence which they will submit to the health authority in March.
This could involve building a new hospital, providing life saving services now on offer at Heatherwood and Wexham Park in Slough on a single site.
Saving
Coun Ward told the meeting that councillors I would soon have the opportunity to submit their own evidence to the consultants. Coun Joe Warren, an anaesthetist at Heatherwood, thanked the council for its donation and said that the new facilities were important for the continuing life of the hospital.
The Ascot hospital is the chosen charity of borough Mayor Arthur Cheney this year.
Extract Bracknell Times 21/12/1989

 

Hospital Proposals Under Fire

by Jim Stevens
County councillors fear that thousands of people in the Bracknell area will suffer if health bosses give the go-ahead for a new hospital site in Slough.
They are worried that many residents will have to travel long distances to a hospital which is catering for the needs of people right across East Berkshire.
Consultants are currently looking at the possibility of concentrating acute services on one site.
And at a meeting of the county council social services committee last Wednesday councillors agreed to put forward their views to the health authority's consultants.
Those hospital services most likely to be affected are paediatrics, obstetrics, anaesthetics and accident and emergency.
This would inevitably anger the thousands of people who campaigned for the health authority to drop proposals to move life-saving services from Heatherwood Hospital earlier this year.
In a report to members of the committee, social services director Anne Parker says: "It is considered that the concentration of these specialities on to a single hospital site, probably at Wexham Park, would materially affect the access to health services of a significant proportion of the population of East Berkshire."
Bracknell county councillor Arthur Thomson, who is also a member of East Berkshire District Health Authority, said after the meeting that he was against any plans to build a new hospital out of the Bracknell area, which would take critical services from Heatherwood Hospital.
With 4,000 more homes being built in Bracknell, Coun Thomson said that there was a need for vital hospital facilities at Heatherwood.
He said up to 200,000 people in the Heatherwood catchment area would lose out.
Bracknell patients using the bus service to reach Wexham Park would face a return bus fare of £5.80, said Coun Thomson.
He added: "Can you imagine old people: spending six hours on bus just to get to hospital." The consultants will present a report to the health authority in March or April of next year.
Extract Bracknell Times 21/12/1989

 

£200 Gift To Children's Ward

Heatherwood Hospital children's ward has received a boost thanks to D.C. Cook Car Traders. The Bracknell Ford car dealers presented a cheque of £200 as a result of a grand draw organised in conjunction with Bracknell basketball team The Tigers, where the top prize was a lunch in the VIP box at John Nike Leisure Centre followed by a chance to see the tigers at Bracknell Sports Centre.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 21/12/1989

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The captioned The cheque was presented by Martin Suddard, managing director of D.C. Cook, to children's ward nurses Michelle Robinson (left) and Melanie Chandler.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

That Was The Year That Was April 1989

Bracknell mums battled to save the baby care unit at Heatherwood Hospital. They argued if the unit closed, mothers would be unable to make a daily trip to Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, where the nearest alternative facilities would be.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 28/12/1989