Bourton: Speak up on children's services

18/11/04
PARENTS, grandparents and anyone with an interest in children's health are being encouraged to speak up about the future of children's and maternity health services in Gloucestershire.

The final public event in the county consultation on children's services will take place at Bourton Primary School at 7pm, Tuesday 30 November.

The consultation - Investing in Excellence - is based around two proposals put forward by the NHS in Gloucestershire:

Proposal 1 - intensive care for newborn babies
The high-dependency and neo-natal intensive care unit should be located either at Cheltenham General Hospital or at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. With this there will be:

. special care baby units at both hospitals;

. neo-natal resuscitation available at both hospitals.

Proposal 2 - children's inpatient treatment
The children's inpatient ward should be located either at Cheltenham General Hospital or at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. With this there will be:

. children's assessment units at both hospitals;

. extended opening hours for the assessment unit at the partner hospital (i.e. the hospital without the children's inpatient ward);

. additional investment in children's home and community nursing.

"This will be the fourteenth public event we've held and already hundreds of people have told us what they think of the proposals for the future of children's and maternity hospital services in the county," said Richard James, Chief Executive of Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust.

"I am looking forward to meeting people from the Bourton area and discussing what they feel about the proposals and what they want for the future health care of their children."

Anyone interested in finding out more about the event on 30 November can call 01242 242156 to book a place. Those unable to attend but who would like to take part in the consultation can do so by:

. completing the feedback form in the consultation document (call 01242 242156 to request a copy);

. completing the online questionnaire at www.gloshealthservices.org.uk/getinvolved;

. emailing comments to children@glos.nhs.uk;

. writing to Richard James, Chief Executive, Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust, Cirencester Hospital, Tetbury Road, Cirencester GL7 1UY.