MP in warning to health chiefs over ward closures ‘by stealth’

Anne McIntosh, the Conservative MP for Thirsk, Malton and Filey, chaired a meeting between the chief executive and managing director of the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) and other leading health practitioners, on Friday, to discuss the future of the 21-bed Ryedale Ward at Malton Community Hospital.

The ward was closed last November alongside the Abbey Ward at Whitby Hospital.

The closure was part of a controversial pilot scheme to offer a 24-hour community service to people in their homes – which comes to an end this week.

Concerns were raised at the time over a lack of consultation over the decision.

Now Miss McIntosh says she has been given assurances similar moves will not be made again.

“The main thing is the PCT will not dare again to try and close a ward by stealth – which is what it did last time”, she said.

“Now we have had the assurance if a ward is closed then there will have to be consultation with all parties.

“Everyone who has a view, I hope, will respond to any consultation.

“I was delighted that we were able to discuss the temporary closure of this ward now that the pilot scheme is coming to an end.

“I want to see how these patients have been treated in the period while the wards have been closed.

“It is important that any future changes to our health services are made with the agreement of both the health practitioners and local community.”

The Yorkshire Post revealed last week that GPs will now be asked to decide whether to fully re-open the Abbey Ward and Ryedale Ward, which underwent a £1m refurbishment only months before it was closed, or to partially open both wards and keep a reduced 24-hour service.

Miss McIntosh said that while she was pushing for a reversal of the pilot scheme, if the wards were closed she would negotiate with Scarborough Council to try to relocate former Ryedale Ward patients there.

The ward closures have also been met with scepticism by North Yorkshire County Council’s Scrutiny of Health Committee and Scarborough and Whitby’s Conservative MP Robert Goodwill,

At a PCT board meeting last Tuesday, it was agreed to ask its Integrated Clinical Executive to undertake a clinical review of the pilot scheme.

These recommendations will then be discussed by the PCT Board on April 26.

Sue Metcalfe, deputy chief executive at NHS North Yorkshire and York, said: “The pilot will reach its conclusion at the end of March.

“However, it will not come to an abrupt end and any patients receiving treatment as part of the pilot will continue to receive the treatment that they need.”

Meanwhile, a public meeting over the biggest transfer of health services in North Yorkshire as part of the Government’s plans to scrap PCTs, is to take place in Harrogate tonight.

A range of health services, including community nurses, health visitors, smoking cessation and the chronic pain and fatigue service, which are currently managed by NHS North Yorkshire and York PCT, are set to transfer to Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) on April 1 alongside 1,400 staff.

Directors from the Trust will be hosting the meeting, at 5.30pm, at The Hub, Harrogate Grammar School, to discuss the changes.

In total, around 3,000 staff currently employed by North Yorkshire and York PCT will be transferred to four foundation trusts across the region under the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill, announced earlier this year in what has been described as the biggest shake-up in the history of the NHS.