Specialist care unit report criticised (From The Argus)

Specialist care unit report criticised

7:36am Wednesday 6th December 2006 in

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Campaigners fighting to save hospital services have hit out at a report suggesting that keeping departments open could lead to unnecessary deaths.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says specialist units are better placed than local hospitals to deal with high-risk patients.

The report is backed by Tony Blair who said 18.5 million people went to A&E every year but not all needed emergency care.

He said out-of-hours GP services, walk-in centres and minor injury units should take much of the traffic from A&E.

The report calls for changes to create centralised specialist centres for the most serious conditions and the treatment of more people in their community or own homes.

Professor Roger Boyle, national director for heart disease and strokes, says specialist centres could save the lives of 500 heart-attack sufferers and result in 1,000 more stroke victims avoiding death and disability.

Sir George Alberti, national director for emergency access, said there should be fewer hospitals trying to do everything and "more convenient and appropriate care" closer to home.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton said: "Improvements in emergency services mean patients are already going to specialist centres but in the case of Worthing, 63,000 people needed its A&E department last year and a number were serious enough to be admitted to hospital.

"Our campaign has been inundated with testimonials from constituents who said they owed their lives to Worthing's A&E department."

Paul Evans from Brighton-based NHS Support Federation said: "I feel these reports are simply a smokescreen for more cuts."

Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert said: "It is nonsense to say lives would be lost if cuts were not made.

"Tell that to residents in the middle of West Sussex who might have to go to Brighton, Portsmouth and Redhill for urgent treatment."

Eastbourne District General Hospital campaigner Liz Walke said: "What is the point of a specialist centre if you don't have enough time to get there?"

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