A vote of no confidence in an NHS trust which has proposed cuts to maternity and paediatric services has been passed by a council in Surrey - reports the BBC.
The leaders of Mole Valley Council's three political groups have issued a statement calling on the board of the trust to reconsider its position.
Epsom and St Helier NHS claim the plans would make services safer for patients.
A spokeswoman said that reasons for the changes included the reduction of doctor's hours under the European Working Time Directive, and medical advances which meant doctors and nurses were becoming more specialised.
"These pressures are not unique to this trust - they are occurring across the country," the spokeswoman said.
Under the proposals, all doctor-led births and overnight paediatric services could be centralised at St Helier Hospital, in nearby Carshalton, with Epsom retaining pre-natal and post-natal care and a children's assessment unit.
But the statement from Mole Valley District Council said: "This council is deeply concerned at the proposals to remove maternity and paediatric services from Epsom hospital into London.
"It has no confidence in the board of the Epsom and St Helier University Trust to resist pressure caused by the appalling financial position of the South East NHS and the policies of the strategic health authority and government.
"It calls on the board to reconsider their position and to maintain accessible services for the residents of Mole Valley and the rest of the Mid Surrey area presently covered by Epsom hospital."
The NHS trust said a formal consultation would take place before any decisions were made.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment