Government raises concerns for the future of SW London services (From Sutton Guardian)

Government raises concerns for the future of SW London services

3:16pm Thursday 9th August 2012 in Save St Helier By Sophia Sleigh, Reporter

The government continues to raise concerns about the deliverability of the healthcare review which recommended St Helier Hospital lose its vital services.

Despite approving the Better Services Better Value review (BSBV), the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) recommends that the review complete the necessary work and financial modelling of out of hospital services.

The Better Services Better Value review recommended in May that St Helier Hospital should be the hospital in SW London to lose its accident and emergency and maternity departments.

The achievement of this is based upon predicted changes in the delivery of hospital care and community based services. For example it relies on more people being treated in the community and less people being taken to A&E.

The OGC Health Gateway Review carried out a strategic assessment of BSBV and has given BSBV an “amber” rating which means successful delivery appears feasible but issues require management attention.

The review said the issues appear resolvable at this stage of the programme if they are addressed promptly. They assured that the programme is on track to go to public consultation.

Recommendations include completing the necessary detail and financial modelling of out of hospital services to present a coherent picture across the health and social care economy of SW London.

In May sources close to another review, the National Clinical Advisory Team (NCAT), revealed concerns about NHS SW London’s prediction that sufficient alternative services would be in place to ensure three A&E and maternity units could cope with the demand and affect on patient outcomes.

The NCAT review is expected to be published in the next two weeks.