Mayor Dave - Bedford Hospital: Time for Review Uncertainty to End
Commenting on BBC Three Counties Radio this week, Mayor Dave Hodgson called for an end to the uncertainty and distress caused to patients and staff by the proposals of the CCG-led healthcare review 'Your Health in Bedfordshire'. The £3 million review's long overdue 'Progress Report', published at the end of October, concluded that either Bedford or Milton Keynes Hospitals must be downgraded to become an 'Integrated Care Centre. In practice, it is likely that this would mean a series of urgent care services reduced, with fewer births, for example, and a reduced Accident and Emergency service.
This threat of severely reduced services has been placed over Bedford Hospital in spite of the fact that is rated very highly by the health watchdog the CQC, and is serving growing population. The review followed on from the discredited £2.2 million 'Healthier Together' review, which also placed Bedford Hospital under the threat of a severe downgrade
In his live interview on Iain Lee's programme, Mayor Dave made clear he welcomed the fact that constructive dialogue was now going on and the fact that the CCG is now working with the hospital. However, he made clear that the first step to a successful, secure future for the hospital must be the rejection of the proposals for a Bedford/Milton Keynes 'solution' which involves a severe, unwarranted downgrade for either hospital.