Just seen this on the Support Stafford Hospital website and wanted to share:
Francis Report
We as a group have been asked to comment and be interviewed by the press this week on the Francis Report. We feel strongly that there are many others who are far more qualified to do so.
We do feel though that now we must concentrate on the future for our community. Our focus has always been on and will continue to be on a 24 hr A&E at Stafford. If this is lost the majority of services will be too. The knock on effect will be devastating for our community.
Let us as a community deal in facts:
1. Stafford Hospital is now led by a different management team. It engages with the councils, public and press. It is accountable.
2. 83% of staff would happily have their friends and family treated there. Compare that with more than twenty hospitals where less than half the staff said they would be happy at their hospital.
3. Note that Stafford and Cannock Hospitals have been doing Cameron's so called " new "family and friends test since April 2012 and that over 90% would recommend the hospital.
4. Our community wants local services for local people, over twenty thousand signed a petition for 24hr A&E services.
5. Let us not forget that over fifty thousand people in Staffordshire do not have access to a vehicle and that many live in rural outlying areas with poor public transport. We must not create greater health inequalities.
6. Specialist care is only required by the minority of A&E attendees. The vast majority should be treated locally.
7. This is not a specific problem localised to Stafford. Hospitals of a similar size around the country are experiencing loss of services.
There are opportunities for the public to become involved in the shaping of our future health services. It is up to individuals to engage in these and make their feelings known. If we are not careful, we may as a community be too late in preventing the break up of our hospitals and services.
Please write to your MP, councillors, the press, the Clinical Commissioning Groups who dictate what services will be and where (they hold the purse strings,) get involved in GP practise forums and tell your GP what you want locally. The more vocal the people the better. We need to show again that the community wants safe, local services for local people.
As Andy Burnham was quoted in The Sunday Times "the people of Stafford deserve a safe and sustainable local hospital." A sentiment in which I am sure everyone will agree.
Support Stafford Hospital Group
info@supportstaffordhospital.co.uk
Francis Report
We as a group have been asked to comment and be interviewed by the press this week on the Francis Report. We feel strongly that there are many others who are far more qualified to do so.
We do feel though that now we must concentrate on the future for our community. Our focus has always been on and will continue to be on a 24 hr A&E at Stafford. If this is lost the majority of services will be too. The knock on effect will be devastating for our community.
Let us as a community deal in facts:
1. Stafford Hospital is now led by a different management team. It engages with the councils, public and press. It is accountable.
2. 83% of staff would happily have their friends and family treated there. Compare that with more than twenty hospitals where less than half the staff said they would be happy at their hospital.
3. Note that Stafford and Cannock Hospitals have been doing Cameron's so called " new "family and friends test since April 2012 and that over 90% would recommend the hospital.
4. Our community wants local services for local people, over twenty thousand signed a petition for 24hr A&E services.
5. Let us not forget that over fifty thousand people in Staffordshire do not have access to a vehicle and that many live in rural outlying areas with poor public transport. We must not create greater health inequalities.
6. Specialist care is only required by the minority of A&E attendees. The vast majority should be treated locally.
7. This is not a specific problem localised to Stafford. Hospitals of a similar size around the country are experiencing loss of services.
There are opportunities for the public to become involved in the shaping of our future health services. It is up to individuals to engage in these and make their feelings known. If we are not careful, we may as a community be too late in preventing the break up of our hospitals and services.
Please write to your MP, councillors, the press, the Clinical Commissioning Groups who dictate what services will be and where (they hold the purse strings,) get involved in GP practise forums and tell your GP what you want locally. The more vocal the people the better. We need to show again that the community wants safe, local services for local people.
As Andy Burnham was quoted in The Sunday Times "the people of Stafford deserve a safe and sustainable local hospital." A sentiment in which I am sure everyone will agree.
Support Stafford Hospital Group
info@supportstaffordhospital.co.uk
