Heatherwood Hospital
Jan to June 1991

News brief

Fire crews to aid baby unit
Fire fighters are marking their station's 25th anniversary by raising money for a baby care unit.
Downshire Way station in Bracknell, which opened in 1966, hopes to raise more than £5,000 for the unit at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot.
As part of the fund raising effort, several fire fighters plan a sponsored cycle ride to Bracknell's German twin town, Opladen, in August.
Extract Evening Post 07/01/1991

 

Hospital's Gulf Wounded Alert

By Dawn Doherty
Berkshire hospitals have been put on alert to handle a flood of casualties in the event of a Gulf war.
Bosses have been warned they could be thrust into the front line to handle plane loads of victims from any fighting.
Andrew Moss, spokesman for the regional health authority covering Berkshire, said: "A lot of the casualties, if there is a war, will fly into Brize Norton which is about 15 miles west of Oxford.
"That puts our region's hospitals very much in the front line so far as treating casualties is concerned."
Routine civilian operations could be hit by any influx of Gulf casualties.
But health chiefs say patients will not be sent home from hospitals to free beds for war victims.
The Health Department has confirmed sending a circular to regional health authorities saying they will be expected to provide 65-70 beds a day.
The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, Wexham Park Hospital in Slough and Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital are on standby to take casualties.
Mr Moss said: "what we have done is to discuss with each of the unit general managers in the acute hospitals across the region how they can help. "They will make their own assessments about what contribution they can make."
Hospital bosses in Reading have already held talks to discuss how they would respond.
They will meet for a second time this week.
Gareth Jones, manager of the Royal Berkshire Hospital, said routine non-urgent surgery could be hit if the hospital had to take a large number of casualties over a period of time.
He said: "Some of the staff who would have looked after NHS patients would be involved in looking after military casualties.
"At the moment we are keeping the options open. "We want to carry on routine services as long as we possibly can and not to overreact."
Brian Mackness, spokesman for East Berkshire Health Authority, added: "We are preparing some outline contingency plans in case we have to receive casualties returning from the Gulf.
"They can only be a very broad outline because we have no knowledge of how many casualties there may be, how quickly they will come, and what types of injury they will have."
A Health Department spokesman said it was "very unlikely but technically possible" that injured Iraqi prisoners could be shipped to Britain and treated at NHS hospitals.
If this happened, they would be cared for as other patients and then returned to military authorities.

Extract Evening Post 08/01/1991

 

Dates Set For Hospital Improvements

Staff And Patients to Get Bigger Say in Running Of Heatherwood
  Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital will reap the benefits of a £1 million cash injection by the end of April.
Work on a new operating theatre and high dependency unit (HDU) is set to start in February with the aim of having them ready for the end of March.
Further day surgery facilities, transferred from King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor, are expected to be completed in weeks rather than months.
The £1 million was allocated at the November meeting of the East Berkshire Health Authority, when health bosses made a U-turn and decided to retain maternity and special baby care services at Heatherwood.
The new HDU unit provides two beds acting as a halfway house between the intensive care unit and the ordinary hospital wards.
The operating theatre will provide all types of operations for patients admitted to Heatherwood.
Around half of the day surgery previously based at King Edward VII will now take place at the Ascot hospital.
Nigel Crisp, general manager for the newly combined Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals Unit, announced the dates for the hospital's improvements last week.
He also outlined new plans to give patients and staff a bigger say in the running of both Heatherwood and Wexham Park.
These include: Involving doctors and nurses in management. Setting up a 'Heatherwood in the Community' campaign and a Patient Services Group.
After outlining the proposals he said: "I am very conscious that the past few months have been very difficult. Services have been kept going through goodwill and hard work of staff working in all our hospitals.
Excellent
"I believe that we now have the opportunity to organise ourselves to create an excellent new hospitals unit which will be able to provide services for the whole population of East Berkshire.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

Wards Stand Idle as Queues Grow Longer

After several years of temporary bed closures in Heatherwood Hospital we are now seeing whole wards closed.
Why are such valuable public assets being left idle when there are still many people who have been waiting months and even years for the operations they need?
The short answer to this question is that the National Health Service has been underfunded for years by the Conservative Government, and few Health Authorities can afford to staff all their hospitals for a full year on their inadequate budgets.
A more revealing example of the effects of underfunding is the recent decision by Hammersmith Hospital to close a specialist, and specially funded, ward for AIDS patients and re-open it as a private ward.
The increasing use by private patients of Health Service beds, wards, operating theatres, staff, and other resources is being systematically forced on hospitals by Government.
While this practice does, of course, provide vital ready cash to go towards making up for cuts in Government funding for the Health Service it also diverts valuable publicly funded resources away from those in greatest need.
Labelling this insidious process "Income Generation" is a cynical Government manoeuvre to divert attention from the fact that private medicine is once again becoming a parasite upon the Health Service and undermining its basic principle of treatment according to need and not ability to pay.
I hope the public will not be taken in.
A further cause for concern is that Government spokesmen keep repeating that Health Service treatment will remain "free at the point of delivery".
This could mean that some patients will go untreated if they cannot afford to pay for transport to hospital, just as some already go untreated because they cannot afford prescription charges.
Juliet Clifford, Popeswood Road, Binfield, Bracknell.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

Bosses Bid to Boost Heatherwood Service

Health bosses are launching a new community initiative to boost services at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
They are hoping the Heatherwood in the Community' campaign will draw on the support of groups and organisations who stoutly defended the hospital's services, when they were under threat.
In November health bosses made a U-turn and voted to retain the maternity and special baby care units at the Ascot hospital, lifting the immediate threat of closure.
Nigel Crisp, new General Manager of the Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals Unit, said: "A lot of support has been expressed for Heatherwood in recent months.
"We want to make an effort as a hospital to build on that, whether it is through involving volunteers more, or making sure we know what people in hospital want from their local hospital.
"Now the threat of closure has changed we are interested to see how it can be turned to practical effect.
"There are a lot of ways volunteers can work in the hospital, and have done in the past." Mr Crisp said the hospital would also welcome financial contributions from the community.
The campaign is starting from a small group within the hospital, but will spread out to make contact with groups and organisations in the community.
Mr Crisp said one way in which the campaign could work was by inviting youngsters from local schools to attend open days at the hospital.
The health authority have also announced plans for a Patient Services Group, involving the Community Health Council, GPs and social services.
This would act as an watchdog, reviewing services and complaints.
A director of patient services is also being appointed to liaise with patients, health authorities and GPs, and lead work on improvements to services.
Mr Crisp said: "What we would welcome is comments from the community.
We know very often what we think is needed but it is also important we are kept aware by people of what they feel is needed.
"If people have ideas about how they can support the hospital and ways they can do it we would be interested to hear from them."
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

Doctors to Get More Say

Doctors and nurses at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital are to be given more influence over decisions affecting their patients.
The changes, announced last week, will make staff more involved in the management of their own speciality.
Health bosses are convinced the new structure will cut down on bureaucracy and the length of time it takes to make decisions.
Nigel Crisp, general manager of the new Heatherwood and Wexham Park combined unit, said each speciality would be run by be a management team made up of a doctor, a nurse and a business manager.
He said: "This will help to ensure decisions about patients are taken by the right people, are properly coordinated and reduce bureaucracy."
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

Deadline for Trust Status

Health bosses at the new Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals Unit have until the end of January to apply for self-governing trust status.
If they press ahead with the application and it is successful the unit would become a trust on April 1 1992. But this would only follow a lengthy public consultation exercise during the early summer of 1991.
With self-governing trust status the Unit would have more freedom to manage itself and negotiate terms and conditions with its own staff.
The hospital unit would run its own budget and be in a position to compete for patient services.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

Waiting Lists are Falling Despite Cutbacks on Cash

Waiting lists are continuing to drop across East Berkshire despite the temporary closure of beds and cut-backs to reduce budget deficits.
There has been a greater turnover of patients at Wexham Park and Heatherwood Hospital's during the last 12 months, according to health chiefs.
Nigel Crisp, general manager of the new Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital units, said: "Waiting lists are still lower than a year ago."
This is despite a reduction in operating hours towards the end of last year.
Theatres were forced to close earlier after the district revealed its budget was £900,000 over spent.
Other measures to reduce the overspend included the temporary closure of more than 60 beds at Heatherwood and Wexham Park.
The district is wiping out the deficit at a rate of around £150,000 a month.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

Fire Fighters Silver Jubilee Diary of Events

Bracknell fire station are planning a year-long programme of fund-raising events to mark their silver jubilee.
The 46 fire fighters based at the Downshire station, which was Way opened in 1966, are aiming to raise £5,000 for the children's ward at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
Sponsorship
And they are in the process of contacting local businesses to obtain sponsorship for the series of events.
The fund-raising kicks-off in March or April when Blue Watch will be staging a sponsored car wash. And, in April or May, fire fighters aim to go out into the community and help with some conservation work.
Station commander Malcolm Bailey said: "The conservation day is nothing to do with raising money. It is the station's way of putting something back into the community in conjunction with one of the local conservation groups."
Other events during the year include a sponsored parachute jump, a canoe race, a bed push, quizzes and raffles.
Pedal-pushing firemen are already in practice for their big event of the year a bicycle ride to Opladen in Germany next August.
Enthusiasts
A team of up to 12 German fireman from the twin town will return with the cycling enthusiasts for a five-day stay in Bracknell.
They will be entertained as guests of honour at a celebration disco on August 24.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

Hospitals Prepare for War

Wokingham and Ascot hospitals are bracing themselves to take extra patients if war breaks out in the Gulf.
Spare beds at Wokingham Hospital in Barkham Road could be used for recuperating troops after treatment at the Royal Berks in Reading.
Sharon Furber, spokeswoman for the West Berkshire Health Authority, confirmed that_Wokingham could act as an overflow hospital to take wounded soldiers.
The hospital would be forced to recruit extra nurses to cope with the new patients.
Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, will be playing a supporting role, taking patients from Slough's Wexham Park as it copes with plane loads of injured troops.
Heatherwood isn't in the plans to take casualties, but Wexham Park is integrated with it and patients would be moved to accommodate Gulf casualties," said Brian Mackness, spokesman for the East Berkshire Health Authority.
He said Wexham Park had intensive care facilities so it was better suited to caring for the seriously injured.
With just five days to go until the United Nations deadline for Iraq to leave Kuwait, other medical groups all over the area are on standby for war.
Red Cross and St John Ambulance members from stations in Wokingham, Bracknell, Ascot and Crowthorne are ready to swing into action to free military medical staff.
The qualified volunteers would crew ambulances and relieve doctors and nurses sent to the Gulf from military hospitals all over the country.
Special training courses are being set up to train the volunteers to help counsel the relatives of service personnel.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/01/1991

 

NHS Trusts in Threat Against Health Council

The future of East Berkshire's health watchdog is threatened if NHS hospitals in the district opt out of health authority control.
Hospital managers admit they would not have to consult East Berkshire Community Health Council before closing or transferring services if they become NHS trusts.
Nigel Crisp, general manager for Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospitals, told the CHC he was pressing to make the acute units self-governing The board of trustees that would rule over the hospitals would not be answerable to district or regional health chiefs, he said. Instead they would report direct to the Department of Health's management executive.
But Mr Crisp said: "I would be keen for the CHC to continue to play an important part in helping us set up and monitor the new trust arrangements."
He will apply to Whitehall for East Berkshire's acute units to become self-governing.
If approved. Heatherwood and Wexham Park will be governed by a single trust from April next year.
Extract Evening Post 14/01/1991

 

Healthy Future Ahead

A new lease of life could be given to community health councils if hospitals go ahead with plans to opt out of regional health authority control.
That is the hope of East Berks CHC members following a meeting with the general manager of Wexham Park and Heatherwood hospitals, Nigel Crisp.
Under the legislation for Self Governing Trusts there is no provision for CHCS to continue their statutory role as watchdogs.
"That is certainly not doing the morale of members any good," said Sue Hann, manager of East Berks CHC.
But Mrs Hann is confident the good relations with Wexham Park would continue after opting out and the council would move into new territory as a pressure group and information service for patients.
"This business is very much consumer led and the health authorities are now actually coming to us for information on patients' needs," she said. "The council is now dealing with more enquiries than complaints."
Extract Buckinghamshire Advertiser & The Advertiser 16/01/1991

 

Heatherwood War Casualties

War casualties could be transferred to Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital in the event of a Gulf conflict.
Health bosses have not ruled out the possibility of moving staff from a 30-bed ward set up at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
The ward has been set aside for the war-time casualties in the event of a conflict breaking out.
If the hospital is called upon they will receive casualties from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, around 50 miles away.
Casualties flown into the airbase would be carried in a fleet of civilian ambulances to the hospital.
East Berkshire Health Authority spokesman Brian Mackness said: "They would go straight through the casualty department and then be admitted to the ward.
"They would then receive treatment, whether it be intensive care or in the operating theatre."
Mr Mackness stressed no casualties of bio- logical warfare will be brought back to this country.
But he did not rule out the possibility of Iraqi prisoners-of-war arriving at the hospital.
"There is a remote possibility we will get POW's back.
"One or two staff have said they will not treat Iraqi patients," he said.
Wexham Park's acting general manager, Chris Burke, said specialist staff and facilities at Heatherwood and King Edward V11 hospitals could be called into action.
He warned patients some non-emergency cases could be disrupted in the district if casualties were treated.
"Bear with us is our normal business is occasionally disrupted," he said.
Hospital bosses will initially have nine hours notice of casualties arriving from the Gulf.
When the hospital planes arrive at Brize Norton they will be told the number of wounded to expect and the type of injuries.
The cost of all treatment will be covered by the MoD.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell Times 17/01/1991

 

Standby Hospitals Facing Chaos, says Health Union

Local hospitals on standby in case of war in the Gulf face chaos, says a health service union.
Tracy Lambert, COHSE's Oxfordshire Regional Health Officer, claims the NHS will crack under the pressure of taking Gulf casualties.
"I think if we have a Gulf war, the NHS will come to a grinding halt as a service," she said.
She fears the lack of specialist nursing staff could mean war casualties being nursed at the expense of closing other wards and turning away NHS patients.
"The Government is playing with people's lives and not only those of the troops sent to fight in the desert," she said.
The three main short term care hospitals in the region are on standby to take casualties from the war and this could mean cutting back on all non-emergency services.
Hospitals planning to take admissions include the Royal Berkshire in Reading, Wexham Park in Slough and Heatherwood at Ascot. Wokingham Hospital may be used as an overflow for NHS patients from the Royal Berks.
Department of Health officials have said that 65 to 70 beds will be needed in each region every day once casualties start to arrive.
Tracy Lambert said empty beds made available across the region include those closed by health service cutbacks over the years.
"The government has given no guarantee that extra funding will be found and the impact of thousands of casualties could be the final straw that pushes the system into complete collapse," she warned.
Brian Mackness, Director of Public Relations for Heatherwood and Wexham hospitals, said the Ministry of Defence would fund any additional costs incurred over treating the casualties.
"We are not actually setting aside beds at the moment, though we do have a ward spare."he said.
He said Wexham, which has 600 beds, and Heatherwood, with 400 beds, would work together to move patients for Gulf casualties.
"Our emergency service will continue as normal.
If the war goes on long enough it may affect the service."he admitted.
Gareth Jones, manager of the Royal Berkshire Hospital, believes he can cope with the crisis.
"We have contingency plans for major incidents so we should be able to cope.
"If it becomes a problem we shall move our fitter patients to other hospitals in the area."he said.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell & Wokingham Times 17/01/1991

 

Call For Specialist Nurses

A call has gone out for nurses with intensive care experience to come forward to help at hospitals treating injured Gulf troops.
Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital may treat some of the patients but the majority will go to Slough's Wexham Park, which has a special burns centre and an extra ward ready.
Heatherwood may take the overflow of NHS cases from Wexham Park. As plans to cope with war victims are drawn up, the East Berkshire Health Authority has launched the appeal for the specialist nurses.
East Berkshire Health Authority spokesman Brian Mackness said there may be a shortage of experienced nurses once the hospitals start to receive Gulf casualties.
"Intensive care nurses are always in short supply," he said. The authority hope nurses with recent intensive care experience will come forward, even for a few hours.
"We believe there may be nurses out there who don't want to work regularly but who might be willing to work on a short-term or part-time basis," said Mr Mackness. Health bosses will find ways of fitting in the hours they have available, said Mr Mackness.
There are intensive care teams meeting the normal peace time needs but, when Gulf casualties put pressure on their services, the local emergency cases will still have to be treated.
Qualified staff who want to help should contact John Clark, the acute services manager at Wexham Park Hospital on 0753 34567.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell Times 31/01/1991

 

Generous Thought

Generous youngsters from Great Hollands Infants School spared a thought for Romanian orphans when they opened their presents at Christmas.
The 212 pupils at the school in Wordsworth decided they wanted to support the Blue Peter Appeal by holding a bring-and-buy sale with a difference.
They came up with the novel idea of each contributing one Christmas present to the sale. And last month's event, with mums helping on the stalls, proved a soar away success, raising an amazing £120.
Headteacher Elisabeth Norris said: "It was the children's idea. They sent off to Blue Peter for the details." Explaining the Christmas present idea, Mrs Norris said: "We were trying to get over to them that it is as important to give as to receive."
The money-spinner was not the only charity effort by the pupils. They have also recently handed over a £100 cheque to the special care baby unit at Heatherwood Hospital at Ascot.
The money was raised by carol singing in Great Hollands and from collections after the infants' and juniors' nativity plays.
The baby unit was chosen to receive the money as most of the pupils were born at Heatherwood Hospital and many have brothers and sisters who have been helped by the unit.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 07/02/1991

 

Adam McKinley Column

As an outpatient at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital, I am delighted to report an innovation I have not encountered before in any of the local hospitals I attend.
It concerns that often lengthy period between the time of the appointment and the moment when one is called into the presence of the overworked doctor.
Heatherwood broadcasts a sort of running commentary of what has happened to the doctor one should have seen at a particular time.
If he is not available within a reasonable waiting time one is politely informed and given a reason, together with estimated time of his arrival.
I spend a lot of time hanging around outpatient halls waiting to see those doing their damnedest to keep me ticking over, so I can testify as to how much this caring system is appreciated.
Nothing so depressing as wondering after a lengthy sojourn among the afflicted, whether the good doc has gone on his hols, or whether my name was on that little piece of paper that fluttered away in the wake of that harassed nurse dashing from A to B.
Extract Wokingham Times 07/02/1991

 

Shape Of NHS Faces Uncertain Future

Massive changes in the National Health Service mean managers cannot plan in the long-term, a Berkshire health chief claims.
East Berkshire Health Authority chief Brian Mackness says the future shape of the National Health Service cannot be predicted even for the next two years.
Doubts over future Government funding and changes to self governing trusts and increased use of private hospitals has made long term planning impossible.
Mr Mackness told the area's Community Health Council: "I wish I could say everything was settled down but we cannot see into the future.
"The NHS was relatively stable 10 years ago, but since then life has changed a great deal and our planning horizons have become lower.
"We can't predict the future in two, let alone five or 10 years, time. We are setting a course as best we can.
He said: "The future availability of public finances is uncertain. "Future developments in medical technology and the money to pay for them are also uncertain."
The CHC, the area's health watchdog, had asked Mr Mackness for an update on the authority's radical rethink of to services.
Acute beds are being transferred Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot and Wexham Park in Slough from King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor.
Mr Mackness said compulsory redundancies would be in single figures from Windsor following the services transfer.
But he insisted that the area's health service was performing well, with East Berkshire's waiting lists at their lowest ever and targets for treating patients being met or exceeded.
Extract Evening Post 08/02/1991

 

Burning Desire To Raise Charity Cash

A Fund-raising drive by Bracknell firemen kicks off later this month with a car wash day at their Downshire Way station.
For £2 a car on Sunday, March 23, a team of fire fighters will save motorists the chore of washing down their cars.
Armed with buckets of water and sponges, they will be on call throughout the day, ready to wash away the grime and leave your car spotless.
The event begins at 10am and is part of a year's fund-raising drive for the Rainbow children's ward at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
The firemen are aiming to raise £5.000 during the year, which commemorates their 25th anniversary at the Downshire Way station.
Sub-officer Dave Hedger said: "If anybody fancies saving themselves the weekend task of washing the car. come down here."
Among the other events lined up this year is a gruelling cycle ride to Opladen, Bracknell's twin town in Germany.
Six dedicated cyclists, accompanied by a support crew, will set out from Bracknell on August 14 for the six-day trip across Europe.
The £500 expenses for the trip have already been generously provided by the Crowthorne-based Berkshire Cycle Company.
The RAC have mapped out a route for the lads and P & O have stepped in with free ferry crossings.
But the cyclists are appealing for the use of a van to help them transport the bikes back to Bracknell from Opladen.
They also want local people and companies to sponsor the trip and enter their competition to guess the distance from Bracknell to the German town.
Sub-officer Hedger said: "If any body has got a van they could loan us, we would be very grateful."
Anyone who feels they can help should contact Bracknell fire station on 54623.
ASCOT fire station will hold their own car wash day on April 6 to raise money for the Rainbow ward at Heatherwood Hospital.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/00/

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by two photos.
The first showed Car wash taking place,and the second showed a line up of the cycle riders.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photos here.

 

Health Budget Cuts to Balance Books

Tough budget restrictions have ensured East Berkshire health chiefs will have their books balanced by the end of this month. East Berkshire Health Authority will hear this week that a string of cash restrictions introduced at the end of last year have worked.
The overspend at Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospitals particularly has been drastically reduced.
But finance director Dr Chris Wren warns the authority will have to continue tightening its belt in the early months of the next financial year, starting in April. His report to Wednesday's meeting says: "The actions of managers has achieved financial control and the year-end position should be satisfactory.
"To ensure there is no surge in expenditure in the early months of next year, unit general managers need to advise their local managers of the controls that need to be maintained."
In January this year, the authority was still more than £500,000 overspent on its budget. Wexham Park in Slough had overspent by £477,000, and Heatherwood by £148,000, by the end of January.
Underspending in other areas of the authority brought the overspend figure down to £500,000.
However, Dr Wren says he is confident the books will be balanced by the end of March.
Health authorities must return a balanced budget for the financial year or face legal action from the Health Secretary.
Extract Evening Post 18/03/1991

 

Hospital Beds To Re-Open

Beds are to re-open at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital in April.
Last Saturday East Berkshire Health Authority was forced to close more than 60 beds across the district in a bid to save money.
Managers at Heatherwood Hospital temporarily closed 13 beds, curbed operating hours, and gave up using agency staff.
And at Slough's Wexham Park Hospital around 50 beds were closed.
Almost five months later the authority has managed to claw back the £1 million over-spend around the district, allowing it to start the year on an even keel.
Spokesman Brian Mackness said: "In future we will be contracting with individual units to treat a certain number of patients a year."
And he stressed the most important thing was not whether beds were opened or closed, but whether these patients were treated.
Mr Mackness said managers would be keeping a close eye on expenditure to ensure they did not run into similar problems again.
Extract Bracknell Times 21/03/1991

 

Rula's Special Gift For Sick Children

Caring TV star Rula Lenska presented a Berkshire hospital with new equipment intended to help hundreds of new-born babies.
And the actress revealed she is holding a rock concert to raise cash to take a group of youngsters from across the world on safari in Africa.
Rula was at the Special Care Baby Unit at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital yesterday to hand over the equipment.
It includes a Vickers Phototherapy Unit, which treats babies suffering from jaundice-an excess of red blood cells caused by a kidney malfunction.
A Kontron Oxygen Monitor was also donated, which monitors the amount of oxygen given to a baby suffering jaundice.
The unit will prevent the babies from suffering blindness or brain damage, which can be caused by too much or too little oxygen.
Rula is vice president of the charity Baby Life Support Systems (BLISS) Fund raiser Robbie Bolton helped raise £1,400 to buy the equipment.
She told us: "I think everything possible should be done to give these babies every chance of a normal, healthy life.
"With the shortage of special baby care equipment, BLISS does all it can to provide this sort of equipment to special care baby units in hospitals."
The charity concert, called Rhino Rock, is set to involve stars such as Chris De Burgh and U2.
She said: "It is a worldwide project to increase children's awareness of endangered species."
The concert will hopefully result in an album which will raise extra cash.
Extract Evening Post 21/03/1991

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
This showed Rula captioned "Bundle of Joy:Rula holds two week old isobel Ingham-Barrow at Heatherwood baby unit.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photos here.

 

Wired-up Mother Snaps Out of Her Diet

Overweight mum Jane Ball admits she has cheated on her diet since wire fitted to her jaw to help her lose 20 stones broke.
Jane says a coughing fit, brought on during a bout of flu, led to the wire breaking But although she admits cheating on her diet of just two pints of milk a day, she is determined to have lost a total of 10 stones by her birthday in May. Jane's fight against the flab began last August when, weighing in at more than 28 stones, she had her jaws wired together.
Since then the weight has been falling off. The last time she checked, she had lost an incredible seven stones four pounds.
But Jane, 34, of Easthampstead, Bracknell, says she has not been on the bathroom scales for three weeks.
The mother-of-three said: "I haven't weighed myself because I have been cheating a bit since the wire broke, by eating bits of food.
"The last time I checked I was down to about 21 stone but I want to be in the 18 stone area by my birthday on May 19. "I'm feeling a lot more agile now and my face is feeling a lot tighter.
Some people have been really good and encouraged me but others keep saying I've got a long way to go." Her daily diet also includes iron and vitamin supplements, although she says her lack of solid food has affected her immune system.
Jane is determined to cut her weight to just eight stone four pounds by this time next year.She hopes the slim will raise thousands of pounds for disabled athletes and the special care baby unit at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot
Extract Evening Post 25/03/1991

 

Star's Gift to Help New-Born Babies

By Times reporter
Television star Rula Lenska came bearing gifts when she visited a hospital's special baby care unit.
Rula came to Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, to hand over equipment which will help hundreds of new-born babies.
The equipment included a Vickers Phototherapy Unit, which treats babies suffering from jaundice, and a Kontron Oxygen Monitor, which monitors the amount of oxy- gen given to a baby suffering from jaundice.
The Kontron monitor will help to prevent babies suffering blindness or brain damage, which can be caused by too much or too little oxygen.
Rula is vice president of the charity BLISS (Baby Life Support Systems), whose fund-raiser Robbie Bolton helped raised £1,400 to buy the equipment.
She said: "I think everything possible should be done to give these babies every chance of a normal, healthy life.
"With the shortage of special baby care equipment, BLISS does all it can to provide this sort of equipment to special care baby units in hospitals."
Rula is now involved in organising a charity concert, called Rhino Rock, which will raise cash to take a group of youngsters on safari in Africa.
Celebrities such as Chris De Burgh, Eric Clapton and U2 look set to appear in the concert.
Rula said Rhino Rock was a worldwide project to increase children's awareness of endangered species.
She said: "There will be an international competition with children writing songs and poems and we'll take between four and six of them on safari."
The concert will probably result in an album which will raise extra cash for the project, she added.

Extract Ascot & Bracknell Wokingham Times 28/03/1991

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The photo showed Rula Lenska with two-week-old Isobel Ingham-Barrow, who weighed only 4lb 1oz at birth
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Fears For Health Watchdog

A health watchdog which played a vital role in the campaign to keep services at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital fear its powers are being whittled away.
Under Government NHS reforms the East Berkshire Community Health Council will lose its power of veto on proposals to move hospital services.
In addition the council will have to resort to legal action if it is unhappy with the consultation plans drawn up by the health authority.
Now, in a bid to strengthen its role as a watchdog, the CHC has written to Bracknell MP Andrew MacKay and Wokingham MP John Redwood.
The proposals have been fiercely criticised by health campaigners and members of the CHC. Michael Bentley, a member of the Save Heatherwood Campaign, said: "I am as concerned as the CHC is about this." He questioned whether the maternity unit at Heatherwood would have been retained last year if the CHC had not been able to threaten its power of veto.
He said: "I think the power of veto at district and then at regional level all helped to at least delay matters and allowed for everyone to be alerted to the threat.
"I am horrified to think that power may be lost."
CHC member Mrs Juliet Clifford fears consultation could become even more difficult if the Heatherwood/Wexham unit adopts trust status and becomes self governing.
East Berkshire health authority spokesman Brian Mackness said the CHC were a vital part of the health authority's system for consulting with the public.
"We are still required to consult with the CHC in our new role as purchaser of services," he said.
Extract Bracknell Times 28/03/1991

 

Water Lot of Fun

By Sharon cook Soap suds were flying at Bracknell Fire Station on Saturday as hordes of volunteers joined in a charity car wash. Off-duty fire-fighters and Heatherwood Hospital workers filled their buckets alongside friends of the fire station to raise £1,276 for the children's Rainbow Ward at Ascot.
The fund-raiser was just one of the station's 25th anniversary activities, from which organisers aim to raise at least £5,000.
More than 400 vehicles, including motorbikes and a mini coach, were given the soapy sponge treatment.
Station commander Malcolm Bailey said: "We want to be able to buy some specialised equipment for the ward as well as get them duvet covers and pillow cases made out of a certain material."
The crew have already helped to raise around £2,500 and more events are on the cards. A sponsored bike ride to Bracknell's twin town, Opladen, is planned for August.
"The public have been absolutely superb, there has been tremendous support from the station and the hospital," said Mr Bailey.
Extract Bracknell Times 28/03/1991

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The image captioned showed "Junior fireman Roy Impey lends a helping hand".
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Hospitals go ahead with opt out plans

Two key East Berkshire hospitals are to press ahead with a bid to opt out of direct health authority control.
Bosses at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough have decided to submit a formal application for NHS trust status.
The application will be lodged with the Health Department by the end of this month.
If all goes to plan, the hospitals will take up their new powers, including control of their multi mullion pound budgets, in April next year.
The final decision on whether the NHS Trust bid will go ahead will be taken by Health Secretary William Waldegrave.
The Berkshire hospitals had spent several months weighing up the pros and cons of the move before deciding to submit the application.
And a spokesman stressed if the hospitals do become trusts, the top priority will still be the health care needs of patients.
NHS Trusts were created as part of the Government's NHS reforms.
Extract Evening Post 11/04/1991

 

Coffin Up For Charity

Funeral director Frank Hames brought a charity football match to life in Bracknell on Saturday when he laid on a morbid surprise for an injured player.
When Frank and his team of volunteer pall bearers rushed onto the pitch with a coffin, Scott Husband rapidly forgot about his dead legs.
After a quick blessing from bogus priest Bill Pratt, he re-joined the action! Frank pulled the surprise stunt at a charity football match between Martins Heron Residents Association and Crown Wood Social Club on Saturday afternoon.
The game, held at Crown Wood primary school, helped raise more than £100 for Bracknell fireman's appeal for the children's ward at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
Frank, chairman of the social club at the Crown Wood Community Association, thanked school governors for the use of the pitch.
And he paid tribute to the people of Crown Wood for supporting the game, won by Martins Heron Residents Association 4-3.
He added: "We wanted to do something to boost Bracknell fireman's worthwhile appeal, with the community centre and the school working together."
Bracknell firemen are hoping to raise more than £5,000 for the Rainbow Ward during this, their 25th year at the Downshire Way station.
Extract Bracknell Times 18/04/1991

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The image showed the player on the pitch with coffin alongside.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Hospital Bosses Ready to Go It Alone

Bosses at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough are to press ahead with a bid to opt out of direct health authority control.
The hospitals, which work together as one unit, will lodge their formal application for NHS Trust status with the Department of Health by the end of this month.
And if all goes to plan the hospitals will take up their new powers, including control of their multi-mullion pound budgets, from next April.
The final decision on whether the NHS Trust bid will go ahead will be taken by Health Secretary William Waldegrave.
Only after several months weighing up the pros and cons of the move did hospital bosses decide to submit a formal application.
A series of meetings were held with staff to discuss the application and the implications for the hospitals.
Talks have also been held with the patient watchdog body, the East Berkshire Community Health Council.
Under trust status hospitals have a range of new powers, including direct control over budgets and the ability to set their own pay deals for staff.
They also become owners of on site hospital buildings, allowing more flexible use of facilities.
Stefan Cantore, director of patient services, said management believed trust status offered advantages to both the hospitals and the local community.
He said: "We see ourselves very much as meeting the needs of East Berkshire and that is top of our list of priorities."
Mr Cantore stressed the hospitals remained committed to serving the local population and welcomed the views of the community.
A three month public consultation period will be held later this year before the Health Secretary makes a decision.
If he approves the application, the hospitals will run as a shadow trust for several months.
Sue Hann, manager of East Berkshire Community Health Council, said members would comment on the proposal at the time of formal consultation.
Extract Bracknell Times 18/04/1991

 

Pals were coffin up for charity

Injured footballer Scott Husband got more than he bargained for during a charity match-the offer to be carried off in a coffin! Scott refused Bracknell funeral director Frank Hames's offer.
The game raised £100 for Rainbow children's ward at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot.
The stunt was pulled during a match between the Crown Wood Social Club and the Martins Heron Residents Association last Saturday.
Frank, who is also Crown Wood Social Club chairman, said: "We wanted to do something to boost Bracknell firemen's worthwhile appeal!"
Extract Evening Post 22/04/1991

 

Neighbourhood News Bracknell

There will be wine, women and song at the Crown Wood Community Centre on May 11 when a special cabaret evening will raise funds for the special baby care unit at Heatherwood Hospital.
Tickets are £2, available for members only at the centre.
Extract Bracknell Times 02/05/1991

 

Hospital Staff on the Lookout

Security at East Berkshire hospitals is being stepped up.
Staff in all departments will play a major part in the campaign at Ascot's Heatherwood hospital and will be urged to be more vigilant. The scheme, Hospital Watch, will be launched in September.
Steps are already under way to increase security with the issuing of identity badges for all staff.
The spotlight was thrown on the safety of patients and staff last year after a spate of alarming incidents including the abduction of baby Alexander at St Thomas's, London.
Heatherwood has not had any major incidents. Support services manager Steve Sellwood said the biggest crime problem was vandalism of vehicles in the car parks.
But officials still believe it is important for all staff to become involved in the campaign.
Extract Evening Post 02/05/1991

 

Hospital Theft Hits Patients

Thieves have stolen a video recorder which was a lifeline for sick Berkshire pensioners.
The video was used by staff at a day hospital in Ascot to stimulate patients with senile dementia.
But the machine has been stolen and the only way for staff to buy another is through a fund-raising bazaar.
The video was taken two months ago from the EMI Day Hospital at Heatherwood Hospital, a centre used by more than 40 patients with mental illnesses from around east Berkshire.
Senior staff nurse Annette John said: "We showed videos of days gone by which acted as reminiscence therapy."
The theft of the video has made a gap in the lives of dozens of local pensioners, and staff now find it harder to organise activities for the pensioners, she said. The spring bazaar is to be held at the day hospital on Saturday.

Extract Evening Post 07/05/1991

 

Operating Theatre Boost For Hospital

Services at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital are set to receive a major boost with the opening of a new operating theatre this summer. Health spending more than £400,000 on the improvement scheme, which includes a new high dependency unit.
chiefs are And they have given assurances about the future of the hospital to local people. The arrival of the new theatre at the weekend was described as a "landmark" by Stefan Cantore, director of patient services for the and Heatherwood Wexham Park Hospitals Unit.
He said he hoped it would "remove any doubts which might have been in people's minds about the future of the hospital."
An earlier health plan, to transfer accident and emergency, maternity and special care baby units from Heatherwood to Slough's Wexham Park Hospital, was dropped.
The new facility, to start being used from August, brings the number of theatres at the hospital to five. Up to 40 operations will take place a week.
Extract Evening Post 08/05/1991

 

Neighbourhood News Ascot

There's fun for all the family at Heatherwood Hospital fete on Saturday at 1.30pm.
Stalls, raffles, entertainments, refreshments, sideshows and much more will all help to raise money to buy amenities for patients.
Extract Bracknell Times 09/05/1991

 

Hospitals: Trust us On Reforms

by Dawn Doherty
Dramatic cuts in waiting times for operations are a key target of health chiefs as two Berkshire hospitals bid to become NHS trusts.
Bosses at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital and Wexham Park in Slough will aim to ensure no patient waits more than a year for treatment.
Despite the uproar over large job cuts at Guy's in London after it became a trust, the East Berkshire hospitals are determined to press ahead with their plans to become self-governing.
General manager Nigel Crisp said the hospitals had dealt with their financial problems in the last financial year and would be starting "with a clean sheet". He said they had no plans to reduce the number of jobs and were actually planning to care for more patients.
Between them, Heatherwood and Wexham Park care for about 37,000 in-patients a year, handle 170,000 Hospitals and services bidding to become NHS trusts next April are unveiling their plans this week.
In East Berkshire, Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals Unit and the district's services for mentally handicapped people have applied to become self-governing. West Berkshire's mental health and handicap services launches its application tomorrow.
Following controversy about job cuts by several trusts, including Guy's in London, local managers tell Health reporter Dawn Doherty why they still believe the new system is good for patients.
out-patient appointments, have an annual budget of £58 million and employ some 2,500 staff.
Hospital chiefs want to increase the number of East Berkshire people cared for locally instead of them going to hospitals outside the area.
Mr Crisp said as an NHS trust the hospitals could: Take decisions locally and more quickly; Organise their own pay deals with staff; Own their assets such as buildings and land, currently worth about £64 million; Be better able to negotiate with purchasers of health care, including health authorities.
He said if the application was allowed the hospitals would remain "firmly and clearly" part of the NHS.
"The only thing we opt out of is local health authority control."
Extract Evening Post 09/05/1991

 

Hospital Applies for Trust Status

Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital could be a self- governing trust by next April.
The hospital management has formally applied for trust status, and decision will receive a decision after a three-month consultation period.
But the move comes amid controversy. Union leaders are worried that jobs may be lost, in the light of recent news from London hospitals and consultants only passed the decision to apply by one vote.
Other detractors think that standards of health care could suffer.
Bosses say trust status will mean the hospital can take quicker decisions and take note of local needs.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell Times 09/05/1991

 

Scheme to Protect Hospital from Crime

Hospital Watch will cut toll of vandalism at Heatherwood
Staff at Heatherwood Hospital are being urged to stay vigilant in a bid to crack down on crime.
They will be asked to be alert for suspicious incidents as part of a new scheme, to be launched in September, called Hospital Watch.
A similar scheme will be launched at Slough's Wexham Park Hospital.
The spotlight was thrown on the safety of patients and hospital workers last year after a spate of alarming incidents nationwide, including the abduction of a baby in London.
Steve Sellwood, Heatherwood's support services manager, said these alerts had played a part in health chiefs' decision to take action locally.
Heatherwood has not had any major incidents and Mr Sellwood said the biggest crime problem was vandalism of vehicles in the hospital car parks.
But officials still believe it is important for all staff to become involved in the campaign.
Security
Steps are already underway to increase security with the issue of identity badges for all staff.
Questionnaires were sent to employees asking them how concerned they were about their own security and that of patients.
They were also asked whether they had been victims of any incident and how they would respond if they saw someone behaving suspiciously.
Mr Sellwood said the feedback had been positive and staff were keen to get involved in Hospital Watch.
He said: "The questionnaire showed that there was crime, but that most of it was vandalism in the car park."
The scheme will involve sending out information leaflets on security issues and aims to encourage staff to report incidents to the police and department heads.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell Times 09/05/1991

 

Hospital Seeks Trust Status

Bosses at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital have lodged a formal application for the hospital to become part of a self-governing trust.
They believe trust status will give the hospital greater freedom to make quicker decisions and respond to the needs of local people.
It will also give bosses the power to make their own contracts with staff and supervise their own spending, free of health authority control.
But union leaders fear the decision could threaten the level of care across the district.
And some senior consultants fear the move is ill-timed, considering the hospital has only just clawed back a £1 million overspend.
They only backed the application by one vote before news of the recent job losses at hospitals which have adopted self governing status was revealed.
If the application is successful Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough will become a trust next April.
A decision will be made by health secretary William Waldegrave after a three-month consultation period, which starts this week.
Nigel Crisp, general manager of Heatherwood and Wexham, said one of the objectives of applying for trust status was to increase the number of patients treated.
And he stressed there were no plans to cut jobs or health provision at either hospital.
But a senior consultant said he was concerned at the prospect of Heatherwood and Wexham Park becoming a self governing trust.
Dr Joe Warren, who is also a borough councillor, said: "To allow the budget to be £1 million overspent is not indicative of sound management.
That is why I feel they must prove they are capable before rushing into self governing status. "I do have concerns about the whole concept. It seems to me it is reducing the concept of the National Health service and making a local health service.
"I believe there should be a basic national standard of care and a range of provision across the country.
"I feel hospitals are driven by financial requirements rather than by social or medical requirements.
"It is very significant that the majority of those appointed as members of the new health authority and trust boards are businessmen with strong business skills."
He stressed he was not opposed to self governing status, but felt the unit was not yet prepared for such a transformation.
Heatherwood union chief John McDougall criticised the staff consultation period, saying not enough information had been made available.
And he claimed the added emphasis on financial viability under trust status could threaten services.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell & Wokingham Times 09/05/1991

 

1991 - Ascot

There's fun for all the family at Heatherwood Hospital fete on Saturday at 1.30pm.
Stalls, raffles, entertainments, refreshments, sideshows and much more will all help to raise money to buy amenities for patients.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell Times 09/05/1991

 

Hospital Plugs In

Selling home-grown plants at a Heatherwood Hospital Summer Fete means some of the elderly patients will get a new stereo system.
And thanks to the generosity of the Bracknell and Binfield Crib League, who have donated a video, the patients on the elderly mentally ill wing will also be able to watch films again.
The Summer Fete on Saturday was organised to raise money for a new video after the last one was stolen, and a stereo.
One of the organisers, nursing assistant Sheila Lee, said after the fete: "We would like to thank everybody for their help and support - we raised £417 from the fete.
"We can now afford a new stereo for the patients, and thanks to the Bracknell and Binfield Crib League we've got a new video," she added.
Some of the stalls included white elephant, home-made cakes, a raffle, and plants grown in the hospital greenhouses.
Extract Bracknell Times 16/05/1991

 

Adam McKinlay's View

I feel sad that Heatherwood Hospital has applied for trust status.
Dr Joe Warren, a consultant at Heatherwood and a Bracknell Tory councillor, summed it up rather well when he said the hospital's management structure had still to prove itself.
Dr Warren says: "To allow the budget to be £1 million overspent is not Indicative of sound management.
That is why I feel they must prove they are capable before rushing into self-governing status."
Dr Warren has "strong reservations" about Heatherwood applying, but is said to be not opposed to the concept.
Heatherwood unit general manager Nigel Crisp says the hospital will have "greater freedom" to make decisions under status.
That sounds to me like the echoing of political poppycock, bearing in mind that more freedom to make decisions by management could have an adverse effect on patient care, as well as available resources.
What has happened at Guys Hospital has deeply affected the finances of that great institution leading to savage economy cuts affecting the welfare of patients.
No wonder Dr Warren has "reservations." For I get the feeling that his heart is not in the privatisation of the National Health Service, even by any other name.
Would it not be better if he yelled from the rooftops that Heatherwood and hospitals like it will only be ready for the chop when trust status has been proved beneficial to all patients? Thus far if we take Guys as an example, it means closed wards, longer waiting lists and likely massive sell-offs of hospital capital resources to make ends meet.
Extract Wokingham Times 16/05/1991

 

Record Walk Profit Sought

Ashford-based Nom des Plumes charity walkers are looking for people to join their 1991 sponsored trek around Windsor Great Park.
The group has raised more than £45,000 since its formation in 1970.
The special care baby units at both Ashford and Heatherwood hospitals have been recipients of the specialist equipment purchased from the profits of last year's walk.
Now organiser Robbie Bolton is hoping that this year's proceeds will break all previous records. Actress Rula Lenska. recently handed over equipment to Heatherwood on behalf of the Nom des Plumes.
Information about the walk from 0784 250886.
Extract Shepperton & Sunbury Herald & News &
Surrey Herald & News &
Staines & Egham News 16/05/1991

 

Golf

By Elliott Norman star of the moment, Steven Richardson, at the final hole. Said Woosnam: "It proves my game is in good shape and I'm in great heart for this week. I surprised myself, not having played much, but I feel as good as I did in 1987. In 1987 Woosnam won nearly everything but, ironically, it was the following year the Welshman claimed his PGA title.
He faces formidable opposition if he's to add a second, with Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Jose Maria Olazabal and Ronan Rafferty all in the field. Rafferty is going through a thin time but he saw a chink of light with third place in the PGA shoot-out curtain-raiser, earning £2,500 for the Heatherwood Hospital maternity ward, his chosen charity.
Extract The Irish Independent 24/05/1991

 

Appeal for Castle

A teddy bears picnic in aid of charity is in danger of falling flat.
Organisers of the event for Rainbow children's ward at Heatherwood Hospital can't find a bouncy castle.
Francis Cuthbert is appealing for one available on May 27. Anyone who can help should call her on Reading 789912.
The event is held in conjunction with the Bracknell Fire Station appeal at The Penguin and Vulture pub, Cantley House Hotel, Wokingham.
Extract Evening Post 28/05/1991

 

Union Fears for Jobs After Pay Awards

Union leaders whose members have won pay awards now fear bosses will cut other jobs to fund them.
Last week five nurses at Bracknell's Church Hill House Hospital, successfully appealed against artificially low grades imposed by management in 1988.
A panel representing the Oxford Regional Health Authority unanimously agreed the pay increases should be backdated.
The union leaders from the Confederation of Health Service Employees claim the decision has set a precedent for 15 more nurses who are awaiting appeals.
Branch secretary Terry Philbey said: "There should not be any need for their appeal to be heard now."
But managers at the hospital have told the union they have no money to meet the backdated wage increases.
Mr Philbey said: "Last Thursday they told us that to fund the increase for all staff who won their appeals they would have to get rid of two posts."
He accused management of applying double standards.
While highlighting the value of staff in the application for trust status, the management was quite clearly ignoring their wishes over wage settlements, he said.
COHSE regional officer Tracey Lambert said: "It seems that the entire financial stability of the mental handicap unit, and the proposed opted out trust, has been dependent upon nurses being wrongly graded and underpaid.
"It is a shocking indictment of management incompetence when the predictable regrading of so few members of staff can cause such a huge financial crisis."
■ A health watchdog has arranged a public meeting to tell East Berkshire people about the application by Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital to become part of a self-governing trust.
The East Berkshire Community Health Council will hold the meeting on Wednesday June 5 at 7.30pm in the Recreation Hall at Heatherwood.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell Times 30/05/1991

 

Heatherwood Hospital Names Its Prices For Treatment

Spring price lists showing the cost of treatment at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital have been released for the first time.
The figures are being circulated to GPS who control their own budgets and health authorities to help them decide where to buy care.
GPS have been issued with a full breakdown of prices whilst figures given to the health authority set out the average cost of each specialised treatment.
The health authority does not require a detailed breakdown because it enters into a block contract with the hospital for buying treatments in each speciality.
Managing
Doctors at two Bracknell surgeries, which are managing their own budgets under the government's new NHS reforms, will be able to take advantage of the pricing structure.
Surgeries run by Dr Geoffrey Kremer, in Birch Hill and Great Hollands, and Dr Bryan Ranscombe, in Skimped Hill, can buy certain hospital treatment direct for their patients.
The cost of an overnight stay to cut out an in-growing toe nail is a snip at £360 for these GPS.
But the cost of a lengthy stay in hospital for a mastectomy or stomach removal soars to £2,303, the highest of three price bands in general surgery.
In gynaecology, the cost of a hysterectomy is £1,820, whilst a D and C (scraping of the womb) is £497.
The price structure for the health authority, which provides 98 per cent of the hospital's work, is split into the average cost of treatment in each speciality. In gynaecology it is £844, general surgery £984, orthopaedics £1654 and in obstetrics £1,050.
Julie Graebe, director of finance for the Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospital unit, said: "We have drawn up contracts with the health authority which are based on cost per specialist use.
"For GP fund-holders we have done it in more detail. There are only a limited number of practices which are able to buy treatment for their patients."
The price lists cover all the treatment offered by hospital, from initial out-patient treatment through to post operation check-ups.
By next April, when Heatherwood and Wexham Park are likely to become part of a self-governing trust, finance bosses hope to have draw up a comprehensive price list for the health authority, she confirmed.
"Our main concern through all this is to ensure we give patients appropriate care and ensure we cover all the costs of running a hospital," Mrs Graebe said.
Extract Bracknell Times 06/06/1991

 

Firemen Join Fun Day

Bracknell firemen are helping stage a fun day at Sandy Lane school on Sunday which guarantees entertainment for all the family.
A bouncy castle and miniature disco are among the attractions for youngsters at the Garth school.
There will also be dozens of stalls and games, and an appearance by Elephant, the mascot of the Fire and Rescue Service.
Besides organising the event, Bracknell firefighters will be taking part in a six-a-side invitation football competition, open to stations across Berkshire.
All proceeds from the day, which kicks-off at 10am, will be going to the Rainbow Ward at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital.
Entrance to the fun day is free. Firemen have already raised more than £3,700 for the ward during this, their 25th year at the Downshire Way station.
Extract Ascot & Bracknell Times 06/06/1991

 

Heatherwood Hit, as Mums Snub Hospital

Health bosses are desperate to halt a patient drain which is threatening the viability of Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot. Hundreds of patients in the Bracknell and Crowthorne area are ignoring the hospital and seeking care out of the district.
Last year more than 550 mothers in East Berkshire chose to give birth at Frimley Park Hospital rather than Heatherwood.
And hospital bosses are anxious to know why GPs in the south of the district are referring patients elsewhere.
Nigel Crisp. general manager of the Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospital unit, said: "We are going to start talking to GPs and asking them why referral patterns are to Frimley Park and the Royal Berkshire rather than Heatherwood."
Mr Crisp, speaking at a public meeting of the East Berkshire Community Health Council last Wednesday, said the maternity unit at the Ascot hospital was running slightly under capacity.
He said: "We are hearing of women in the south of the district who said they supported Heatherwood and wanted it to continue.
"But they are having the births of their babies booked into Frimley Park in case Heatherwood closes.
"We have got to reverse this trend if we want to make Heatherwood a viable hospital."
By talking to GPs and bolstering the image of the hospital, Mr Crisp hopes to halt the patient drain.
He said: "We will invest in the south of the district to ensure more patients come to the hospital."
In the coming months health bosses will launch a 'Heatherwood in the Community Campaign', he revealed.
A new high dependency unit and operating theatre are already being installed at Heatherwood as part of a £1 million cash injection.
Extract Bracknell Times 13/06/1991

 

Hospital Trust Status Asset Stripping Fear

by Jim Stevens Medical organisations have hit out at plans to turn Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, into part of a self-governing trust.
The East Berkshire branch of the British Medical Association has also criticised a similar application by Church Hill House Hospital, Bracknell.
They fear the continued lack of Government resources for health care will make little difference if the hospital becomes a trust.
But managers at Heatherwood and Wexham Park, Slough, and Church Hill House believe they will be able to run their units more effectively.
They claim trust status will give them the freedom to make quicker decisions whilst having complete control of their budget. The pros and cons of trust status were debated at a meeting of the East Berkshire Community Health Council last Wednesday night.
More than 70 people attended the public meeting at Heatherwood, part of a three-month public consultation period.
Dr Owen Lister, BMA representative for East Berkshire, said he could not understand why hospitals were applying for trust status when they were not getting any more money from the Government.
"The truth is there are less beds and facilities. There is nothing from what I have seen that can make a trust improve on that situation with the same or less money. "I want to know how they can justify going into a trust on that basis," he said.
Dr Lister said he feared asset stripping could become commonplace with hospitals free to sell off land to raise money.
Dr Basab Barua, a Windsor GP, said he feared there was going to be more emphasis on private enterprise in an era of increasing cutbacks under trust status.
Members of the public highlighted their own fears for public health under trust status, which encouraged competition between hospitals for patient services.
This atmosphere of competition could detract from the primary need to concentrate on caring for the patient, they said.
Anne Williams. general manager of the mental handicap unit in East Berkshire, outlined what she saw as the benefits of trust status.
These included: The opportunity to introduce flexible packages, under which hospital bosses can set individual terms and conditions for staff.
Freedom to manage their own budget and plan services with more certainty. Hospital's will also be able to take control of their land, possibly selling it off to raise money.
Fewer management tiers means the hospital will be able to make swift decisions and be more responsive to what patients need.
She said: "I am convinced that being a trust has to be a benefit in terms of getting decisions about local services made much more quickly."
Miss Williams added: "The fact we are going to be independent of the health authority does mean we can give more recognition to people with a mental handicap."
East Berkshire Health Authority will continue to place contracts with hospital's for their services under trust status.
Health Secretary William Waldegrave will make a decision on the applications in September.
Extract Bracknell Times 13/06/1991

 

Day Surgery Centre Set Up

A special centre for same day operations has been set up at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot.
The temporary six-bed day surgery unit will be used until a new one is built at the hospital this year.
Some medical procedures and clinics, including a pain control clinic, will also take place.
Stefan Cantore, director of patient services, said: "Day surgery is increasingly being used by doctors at this hospital.
"Patients are carefully selected for this type of treatment. The developments of medical science allow a larger number of people to benefit from day surgery."
Extract Evening Post 17/06/1991

 

Car Wash II The Sequel

Big-hearted Bracknell firemen are staging another car wash to boost their fund-raising appeal for a children's ward at Heatherwood Hospital.
On Saturday June 22 a team of firemen will be on hand at the Downshire Way station from 9.30am to 4.30pm to bring that extra sparkle to your motor.
For only £2 they will wash each car thoroughly, leaving it spotless.
The station has dubbed the car clean 'Car Wash 2, The Sequel', following the success of their March car wash which raised more than £1,300 for the Rainbow Ward.
Firemen set themselves a £5,000 target for the children's ward at the start of the year, but have already raised £4,000.
Extract Bracknell Times 20/06/1991

 

Opt-out move wins backing

By Simon Miller A move by Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospitals to opt out of district health authority control is being backed by Bracknell borough councillors.
At a meeting of the environment committee last night, chairman Terry Mills and borough Tory leader Alan Ward tabled the motion, to the surprise of Labour.
Labour had been expecting only to give views on the proposed trust status of East Berkshire hospitals.
Labour councillor Patrick Cooper said the trust applications had been made without prior public consultation.
He said: "We have good and dedicated staff in the health service and this move implies they are not pulling their weight." One councillor told the meeting the process of East Berkshire hospitals opting out was moving too fast.
Coun Andy Murray said: "I don't object to the principle of their intent, but things are moving too fast in a service unused to sudden change." In a vote of 11 to three, the committee agreed to "express its support" for the applications.
The motion calls on units' management to assure a full range of services be maintained and for Heatherwood's status to remain that of a district hospital.
The CHC must also be consulted as part of any trust charter.
Extract Evening Post 20/06/1991

 

Unit helps Mothers to Recover

by Simon Miller
Mothers with severe post-natal depression are getting help from a new service in Berkshire.
The mental health unit at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, offers treatment in home from home accommodation complete with TV lounge and kitchens.
Clients come from every social class and are either profoundly depressed or severely mentally ill.
The unit has been open for three years but the service for depressed mothers is just making itself felt in the community.
Staff warn severe post-natal depression can strike at any time.
Last year the unit helped more than eight mothers to cope and achieve vital bonding with their children.
Alison Hill, ward manager, said the priority is to provide a safe environment and to help mothers take over day-to-day care of their babies.
In most cases the women are incapable of taking care of themselves, let alone a child.
Miss Hill said: "The care for the family is in the forefront all the time and we encourage the father to take part and even to stay."
Unit manager Elaine Holloway said many mothers feel down a few days after giving birth.
But she added: "It is quite different from actually having a post-natal illness.
"The term mental illness really frightens people but mental illness is treatable.
"People reading this may think 'well that wouldn't happen to me because I am not the sort of person to get mentally ill'.
But it can and does happen."
Extract Evening Post 25/06/1991

 

Borough Backs Hospital Trust

Plans for Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital to opt out of district health authority control have been backed by the borough council.
Bracknell Forest Borough's environment committee agreed by 11 votes to three to support the Heatherwood and Wexham Park unit's bid to become a self-governing trust.
The motion, tabled by chairman Terry Mills and borough Tory leader Alan Ward, surprised Labour councillors last Tuesday.
Labour, who are staunchly against Heatherwood opting out, had expected only to give views on the proposed trust status of the East Berkshire hospitals.
Labour councillor Patrick Cooper said the trust applications had been made without prior public consultation.
Fearing that opting out would jeopardise patient care, he added: "I don't actually see how trust status will improve efficiency of local hospitals.
"We have good and dedicated staff in the health service and this move implies they are not pulling their weight."
Coun Mills said: "Becoming a trust enables the hospital to bring in commercial and management skill, an area where by their own admission they have not been as strong as they could be."
The meeting was told the whole process of East Berkshire hospitals opting out was moving too fast.
Liberal Democrat councillor Andy Murray said: "I don't object to the principle of their intent, but things are moving too fast in a service unused to sudden change."
The motion passed at the meeting also calls on the units' management to maintain a full and flexible range of services and keep Heatherwood as a district hospital.
Trust status for the hospitals, West Berkshire mental health unit and East Berkshire services for the mentally handicapped, which include Church Hill House Hospital, has also been welcomed by the Berkshire Family Health Services Authority.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/06/1991

 

Something To Shout About

The amazing success of Bracknell fire fighters' Heatherwood Hospital children's ward appeal has sent the running total past the £5,000 target.
After collecting a £700 cheque from a Wokingham pub's teddy bears' picnic and disco, the firemen rolled up their sleeves for another marathon car washing session on Saturday.
Helped by their families, the fire fighters sponged down and then trained their hoses on cars brought to the Downshire Way fire station.
Earlier in the week, the Penguin and Vulture pub, off Twyford Road, handed over their £700 contribution to the appeal equipment on the Rainbow Ward at Heatherwood.
The fire fighters were stunned by the I success of the pub's fun day, held on the Spring Bank Holiday.
Sub officer Dave Hedger said: "We were overwhelmed at the amount of money we got from them we never expected anything like it." Although the year long appeal, which celebrates the fire station's 25th anniversary, has met its target in less than six months, the Bracknell fire crews will continue their fund raising schemes.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/06/1991

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by two photos.
The first captioned: Paul Gates hoses the soap suds off a car at Bracknell fire station on Saturday
The Second captioned: Frances Cuthbert and Samantha Dilley of the Penguin and Vulture pub present a £700 cheque to the fire fighters.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photos here.

 

Slimmer's Disease is Killing Young Girls,Says Expert

The number of anorexic people wanting treatment at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, is increasing.
And the numbers are now being swelled by older women, it was revealed this week.
Elaine Holloway, mental health unit manager at Heatherwood, said: "Until the last few years it was nearly all young teenagers.
But more recently we are increasingly seeing people in their 20s and into their 30s.
"And we are not quite sure why. This type of illness is on the increase, possibly because we are becoming more aware that it's treatable."
But ward manager Stewart Grey said the largest group seeking help was still teenage girls.
He added: "They deal with emotional problems by restricting their food. "And they generally have some misconceived idea about their body image.
Very often, they will be only six and a half stone. And sometimes they die."
Last year, admissions were limited to seven people due to the intense nature and commitment needed in the therapy programme.
But the numbers on out-patient and in patient waiting lists is growing, putting the unit under increasing pressure for the rigorous rehabilitation programme.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/06/1991

 

Hundreds Sign Petition Against Hospital Opt Out

Health Authority Plays Down Public Fears
Hundreds of borough residents have voiced their fears about the future of Heatherwood Hospital.
Bracknell's Labour party say up to 300 people signed a petition opposing the planned opting out of the hospital from health authority control next April.
Party members say they collected the signatures during the first hour and a half of talking to the public in Charles Square on Saturday.
Sue Jackson, from Church Road, Owlsmoor, said: "I'm concerned about the plans to opt out because I'm diabetic."
"I rely on the NHS quite heavily and I'm unsure how the changes will affect me. I'm concerned about cash restrictions as I'm quite an expensive patient."
Alex Parkinson, from Loughborough, Crown Wood said: "I think opting out is all wrong. Once hospitals are in trust hands anything could happen.
He added: "You might end up in Scotland to get a bed, that is my worry."
Response
Keith Dibble Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for East Berkshire said Mrs Jackson and Mr Parkinsons' views were typical. "We've had an excellent response to the petition.
Everyone is telling us of their own experience of the NHS and saying they are worried that Heatherwood could leave the health service," he said. We have been standing here for one and a half hours and two to three hundred people have signed.
No one has refused to sign the petition."
Mr Dibble said the petition was part of Labour's campaign against hospital opting out, giving the public a chance to have their say on the issue.
He said the petition would be used to put pressure on the East Berkshire Health Authority.
Improvement
But not all the shoppers in Charles Square disagreed with the opt out plans. One Bracknell woman said: "I think there is room for improvement and I think Heatherwood could be run more efficiently.
"I don't think it would do any harm for it to opt out.
Brian Mackness, a spokesman for East Berkshire District Health Authority, played down public fears about Heatherwood's planned opt out.
Responding to the shoppers' worries, he said: "Whether Heatherwood is a trust or not would not influence prior arrangements for care or treatment.
"And we would not send a patient to Scotland if they did not want to go."
But, he said, hospitals would be carrying out operations for each other regardless of whether they were in a trust or remained directly managed.
Consultation As for the petition, Mr Mackness said Bracknell Labour Party needs to send any comments about Heatherwood opting out to the Oxford Regional Health Authority, who are carrying out a consultation on behalf of the government.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/06/1991