Damian released the following statement today:
“At the recent Health and Adult Social Care (HASC) Select Committee, the Trust made a strong case for the principle of people being able to be cared for at home, which is widely agreed. But there are still a number of outstanding questions, for people in and around Petersfield and Alton.
“Decisions about how NHS resources are used are ultimately made by the NHS Trusts, and the Integrated Care Board (ICB), that oversees the system, which report to central government. But it is vital we scrutinise these decisions and their impact locally – and that is what I have been doing. Last week’s HASC hearing at the County Council was a key opportunity to hold services to account on behalf of local residents. Councillors Andrew Joy, Marge Harvey and Andy Tree all put pertinent scrutiny questions to health chiefs, and Councillor Rob Mocatta made an important additional deputation.
“I continue to have concerns, but I am pleased that some mitigations and contingencies have been added to the original plan. This includes a small amount of ‘surge’ bed capacity at Petersfield Hospital to be used during periods of high demand for inpatient rehabilitation. Crucially, the Trust and the ICB have also agreed to report back on what happens in practice, particularly regarding the availability of community hospital beds in Alton and Petersfield for those that need them, and whether patients are able to leave acute hospitals such as QA and Basingstoke without unnecessary delay. I will continue to pay close attention to this as it is so important to local people, for them and their families, when it matters most.
“We must also remember that these changes centre on dedicated staff, many of whom have faced months of uncertainty about their future roles. Once the ICB signs off these proposals, as I expect will happen shortly, it is essential that staff are informed promptly, sensitively, and supportively to those moving into the new roles in the expanded at-home care service.”
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