Children's Health- Thank you for taking part

07/12/04

A MAJOR consultation on the future of children's and maternity health services ends today.

More than 1,700 people attended public meetings, took part in roadshows, sent back questionnaires or wrote letters. A further 23 thousand-plus signed petitions.

The consultation - on the future of specialist inpatient hospital services for children and neonatal intensive care - is part of a large-scale review of NHS children's services in Gloucestershire.

"I'm very pleased that so many people have taken the time to make their views known over the last three months," said Richard James, Chief Executive of Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust, which is leading the review for the county.

"We've held events all over the county and people have had the opportunity to debate the health issues that are important to them with senior doctors and midwives and other members of the public."

The consultation, which has run for three months, focused on two key issues: the inpatient care of children in hospital and intensive care for newborn babies.

Currently, these services are offered at both main county hospitals. The NHS in Gloucestershire has recommended that they should be centred at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Public feedback has ranged from endorsement of the proposals: "I do not mind travelling if it means I can get the best clinical care for my child" to strong disagreement: "I am appalled that you are planning to close Battledown".

Understandably, the largest groups of people that got involved were from Cheltenham and the north Cotswolds, as these will be most affected if the proposals go through. But people from all other parts of the county have taken part.

In addition to public meetings, health workers have carried out informal sessions with groups such as the National Childbirth Trust, Gloucester Deaf Association Mothers and Babies and the Epilepsy Action Group.

Main areas of concern have been increased travel times, parking (at both hospitals), visiting arrangements and change of environment.

The next stage of the consultation is a meeting of 15 NHS directors from the three primary care trusts to make recommendations based on the original proposals and the feedback received from the public and staff.

The meeting will take place at 6pm on Wednesday 19 January. It will be held in public, and a paper summarising the feedback and making recommendations will be published on www.cotsvalepct.org.uk five days earlier.

Finally, in early February, the primary care trusts will agree or reject the recommendations at their board meetings - which, again, are open to the public. The outcome will be announced immediately following the final board meeting.