Mayor's Savage Attack On Hospital Standards
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 9th March 2006.
Haverhill's Mayor claims he "would not keep a dog" in a hospital campaigners are fighting to save from closure.
Councillor Tim Marks made the remark while supporting the closure of Walnuttree Hospital in Sudbury during a discussion on proposed health cuts in the region.
He was among those meeting with Dr Jonathan Williams, the director of clinical services for the Suffolk West Primary Care Trust, who addressed the Haverhill Partnership Group Forum on Monday.
Dr Williams said the loss of 32 community beds at Sudbury Hospital and another 16 at Newmarket Hospital would lead to better alternatives being provided in the ocmmunity.
But Councillor Marks queried who would pay for that care. "There is a prety fine line between social care and health care," he said.
"If we are going to have care in the community, which could be beneficial, there are going to be costs. Where there is a need for people who cannot be helped in the community, where are those beds coming from?
"Walnuttree is closing and rightly so. I would not keep a dog there, but there have to be alternatives."
Dr Williams said the existing community hospital beds were too expensive, costing around £1,200 each week, campared to £500-£600 in residential care home, £600 in a nursing home and £800 for an acute hospital bed.
Emergency admissions from Haverhill were far lower than from Sudbury, claiming this was due to better health provisions within the community.
He said: "Here in Haverhill the majority of people are cared for at home by district nursing teams very successfully.
"I get lots of letters saying how fantastic community services are at supporting people. GPs are now far more in control of how the money is spent and can provide the services that local people need."
Haverhill town clerk Gordon Mussett said there was a view in the town that a new community hospital could be provided to increase the level of healthcare provision at a local level.
Councillor Tim Marks made the remark while supporting the closure of Walnuttree Hospital in Sudbury during a discussion on proposed health cuts in the region.
He was among those meeting with Dr Jonathan Williams, the director of clinical services for the Suffolk West Primary Care Trust, who addressed the Haverhill Partnership Group Forum on Monday.
Dr Williams said the loss of 32 community beds at Sudbury Hospital and another 16 at Newmarket Hospital would lead to better alternatives being provided in the ocmmunity.
But Councillor Marks queried who would pay for that care. "There is a prety fine line between social care and health care," he said.
"If we are going to have care in the community, which could be beneficial, there are going to be costs. Where there is a need for people who cannot be helped in the community, where are those beds coming from?
"Walnuttree is closing and rightly so. I would not keep a dog there, but there have to be alternatives."
Dr Williams said the existing community hospital beds were too expensive, costing around £1,200 each week, campared to £500-£600 in residential care home, £600 in a nursing home and £800 for an acute hospital bed.
Emergency admissions from Haverhill were far lower than from Sudbury, claiming this was due to better health provisions within the community.
He said: "Here in Haverhill the majority of people are cared for at home by district nursing teams very successfully.
"I get lots of letters saying how fantastic community services are at supporting people. GPs are now far more in control of how the money is spent and can provide the services that local people need."
Haverhill town clerk Gordon Mussett said there was a view in the town that a new community hospital could be provided to increase the level of healthcare provision at a local level.
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