THE long-awaited public consultation into the future of health care in Worcestershire is expected to start in the first week of December.
Health chiefs are awaiting final approval of their plans from NHS England, expected on November 21, which should bring with it £29 million of investment to improve and expand a range of services, including car parking, operating theatres at the Alexandra Hospital and more beds at Worcestershire Royal.
Once this is given it is anticipated the consultation period will stretch over Christmas and beyond into the new year with a likely completion date in February 2017.
The main proposed changes which people will be asked to comment on are:
1) Separation of emergency and planned care.
2) Creation of centres of excellence for planned surgery.
3) Urgent care centre for adults and children at the Alexandra Hospital.
4) A&E remaining at the Alexandra Hospital (adult only) with robust arrangements for managing a seriously sick child if they arrive unexpectedly or their condition deteriorates and they need an inpatient stay in hospital.
5) Centralisation of inpatient care for children at Worcester – with the majority of children’s care remaining local.
6 ) Centralisation of consultant-led births at Worcester – with ante-natal and post-natal care remaining local.
7) Centralisation of emergency surgery.
