The Need for Hospital Closures
Must be Faced Up to and Explained
PRESS RELEASE
From the Institute of Welsh Affairs
For publication after 0010 Tuesday November 28th 2006
If the incoming Health Minister is serious about ensuring that the
NHS operates as efficiently as possible, the problem of closing inefficient
hospitals across Wales is going to have to be tackled. This is a major
conclusion of a study group of health and social care experts in Time
to Deliver, a report on policy options for the Welsh Assembly’s
Third Term to be published today (Monday November 27th) by the Institute
of Welsh Affairs.
The report says public also needs to be better informed about the
risks associated with hospital admission: “It has been estimated
that one in every eight patients admitted to hospitals experience
preventable adverse events, of which one third led to at least moderate
disability or death. If the risks of errors leading to serious injury
or death from hospitals were presented to aircraft passengers the
likelihood is that many would not choose to fly.”
However, the report notes that in some respects the Assembly Government
has been its worst enemy in promoting hospital reorganisation. Its
2001 strategy, Improving Health in Wales - A Plan for the NHS, adopted
a citizen-based approach stating that a “… determination
to find out what patients want will underpin the process of continually
improving our services.”
As the report notes, “Such commitments make it difficult for
a Minister to go against the wishes of people who want to keep their
local hospital open even when available evidence makes it clear that
so doing would be highly inefficient. In such cases the price of inefficiency
is paid by those who forgo, or wait longer, for health gains that
they otherwise would have had.
The report adds,: “A Minister’s concern to achieve maximum
health benefits is made doubly difficult when the local media and
politicians continually support any ‘save our hospital’
campaign. If the concerns relating to the sustainability of the NHS,
as stated in the Wanless report and which Designed for Life has sought
to address, are not to materialise it is essential that people’s
expectations of the role and functions of hospitals should change.
The Assembly Government has a major responsibility to direct such
change, ensuring at the same time that appropriate community-based
services are in place to remove the present necessity for many people
to use acute hospitals.
Other issues that will be near the top of the incoming Minister’s
in-tray explored in the report are waiting lists, increasing drug
costs, devolution of responsibility for service prioritisation, and
the changes needed to equip primary care for its increased responsibilities.
The report, the work of eight Policy Groups made up of 103 experts,
will be discussed at a special conference to be held in Cardiff on
Monday November 27th. For further details on how to obtain copies
of Time to Deliver (price £30 plus £2 p&p), please
call 029 2066 6606 or e-mail wales@iwa.org.uk
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