Labour Government Cash Savings Demand Causes Early Mount Closure

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 14th Jul 2004

In a joint statement Borough Councillor Anne Winstanley and County Councillors Glynn Davies-Dear and Pam Holden-Brown said they are appalled at the recent announcement by Winchester Hospital that the Mount Hospital will close this summer, twelve months earlier than agreed with the local Primary Care Trust following the recent public consultations.

Cllr Anne Winstanley commented,

'This is a betrayal of the local people who took part in the consultation undertaken by the local Primary Care Trust, and who very firmly said they wanted to see health services for rehabilitation and respite for elderly people stay local.

Winchester health bosses only need to manage to keep The Mount open till Summer 2005 when local doctors say their reprovision will be ready. Have Winchester health bosses consulted local doctors? We suspect not? Have Winchester health bosses encouraged staff to stay at The Mount by guaranteeing that no jobs need be lost in the North Eastleigh area? We believe they have caused staff uncertainties right from early in 2003 with their plans to close The Mount.

It is pretty obvious that this has always been their intention. The real reason for what has obviously long been planned becomes clear with the statement that £325, 000 a year will be saved. This shows the premature closure is driven by Labour Government calls for cash savings.'

Cllr Glynn Davies-Dear said,

'The information given does not justify Winchester health bosses' decision to close on safety grounds. What has changed? We are told a senior nurse will be away for 6 weeks in June & July. She will therefore be back before the closure date. Otherwise there is only the loss of one Occupational Therapist. Surely by working with local doctors they could manage for another 12 months! We were assured that the new wards being built at Winchester were not intended for relocation of The Mount inpatients. What were the new facilities at Winchester Hospital built for if they won't now be needed for another year?'

Cllr Pam Holden-Brown, who chaired the County Council Health Scrutiny Panel's working party on The Mount reprovision, said,

'I am sure Winchester Hospital knew during the consultation exercise that this was going to happen and I am very unhappy about it. I want to express my extreme concern because the people of Eastleigh did not want to be moved to Winchester. Winchester health bosses are being very cavalier.'

ENDS