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Ealing Hospital maternity unit closure

I understand it is likely the closure of Ealing hospital maternity unit will be announced tomorrow at the meeting of the Clinical Commissioning Group for Ealing. I've received an invitation to join the protest but I can also see that Healthwatch Ealing have been closely involved in the discussions about the closure and the Chair, Carmel Cahill, seems to have devoted most of her waking hours to ensuring the closure is safe. The r e has been a other layer of inspection of the decision in February from NHS England. It is of course nice to think that your maternity unit is just down the road when you need it, but the truth is that times have changed. When I had my first child, it was usual to stay in hospital for five days. Now it is more likely to be a few hours. Less beds are wanted. I hope new mums still get fed as having babies is hungry work and I hope the public transport arrangements are in place, but this is not the scary proposal Julian Bell and Rupa Huq would have us believe.

Maire Lowe ● 3976d9 Comments

I had the enormous privilege of attending and speaking at the Health Commission led by Michael Mansfield today. Were the Dr in charge of the CCG or Dr Spencer there today to be cross examined? Would you go if you were in their shoes if you didn't have to? Result this was a well organised and courteous meeting.

Arthur Breens ● 3971d

Charing Cross is going to rubble and housing too. Sorry. I find it strange that many of these new homes are planned (agreed by Julian's officers) in a corridor between Charing Cross and Ealing Hospitals. Dr Mark Spencer is a fool and wouldn't have championed his plan if he'd have bothered to have collected more facts. Oh and well organised and courteous meetings aren't standards by which any public meeting should be judged.

Arthur Breens ● 3974d

The decision was deferred due to remaining concerns about clinical safety. The building works at Queen Charlottes are due to complete May 26th but those of us who have ever employed builders have learnt to be cautious about end dates.After all Julian Bell's alterations have taken seven years apparently.Lots of questions about capacity of the enlarged maternity units. I was surprised to hear that the birth rate in Ealing has gone down for the last two years. They are building capacity for an additional 6000 births per annum into the new system.Whether 6000 is enough for the additional homes planned for the area was raised by Julian Bell and me. An unlikely combination you will agree. Dr. Mark Spencer says it is impossible to accurately model need for homes still at the planning stage. He estimates it will take ten years for the new system to approach full capacity. Healthwatch Ealing raised some questions about transport and the calculations used to decide what will be needed to the west of the Borough. The excellent Dr Mohini Parmar, Chair of Ealing CCG will address those immediately. The CCG admitted some slowness in engaging with staff who are still not sure when their jobs will move but are making up for it now.There was a little understandable grandstanding from some members of the public, but on the whole a very well organised and courteous meeting.

Maire Lowe ● 3974d

I find it strangely fascinating (in a horrified kind of way) to observe the way that the Welsh health system has developed since the rise of "home rule" for the principality.Quite unnerving really.

Tony Colliver ● 3975d

TonyI would move tomorrow if there was decent healthcare.I have a number of complex orthopaedic problems and the thought of five hour round trips from Cardigan to the nearest half-decent orthopaedic unit keeps me so thankful for Charing Cross.

Nigel Brooks ● 3975d

I hope you don't have cause to use any Welsh hospital facilities whilst you are away.By all accounts they are even worse than Ealing's.As a Welshman myself I am certainly glad that I don't live there anymore even if I do feel strangely and deeply drawn to the Gower peninsula on a regular basis.  :-)

Tony Colliver ● 3975d

I will be en-route to Wales tomorrow.

Nigel Brooks ● 3975d

By hope I mean that I don't know and intend to ask. Why don't you come with me to the meeting?

Maire Lowe ● 3976d

Hoping that mothers get fed and that public transport arrangements are in place?Sounds like the 'cross fingers and hope' approach currently being taken with NHS planning.It is ridiculous that there is no maternity unit serving the burgeoning population of this borough and even more so when the transitional arrangements rely on 'hope'.

Nigel Brooks ● 3976d