Agenda item

Proposed by: Councillor Clucas

Seconded by Councillor Horwood

1.That this Council, is mindful of the concerns expressed at the HCOSC meeting on 13th November in relation to General Surgery proposals put forward by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GHNFT) Board. A special issue is the letter, signed by some 58 Senior Doctors at the GHNFT, and the effect of changes on the safety of patients from Cheltenham and elsewhere, who, Senior Doctors believe will be put at greater risk as a result of the changes proposed.

2. As the next meeting of the HCOSC Committee following the Special Council meeting is scheduled for 20th  February, Council recognises the urgency in forwarding its concerns to that Committee. Council therefore requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Chair of that Committee in relation to the following matters:

3. To request, as was stated at the November 13th  meeting, HCOSC to invite those Senior Doctors,  58 in number, who signed the letter to the Hospitals’ Trust setting out their concerns in relation to the proposed changes, formally to the meeting  on 20th Feb, so that their concerns may be aired and examined;

4. That in addition, the Leader request HCOSC to raise the following Issues and the following requests for scrutiny, formally with the Trust: 

5. The 58 Senior Doctors’ concerns in relation to patient safety; 

6. To raise the statement that the Trust proposals are a ‘Pilot’ and can be reversed. However, reversibility will be very hard to be effected once the ‘Pilot’ is set in train. What is proposed is a ‘Reconfiguration’, which requires public consultation and proper and appropriate scrutiny;

7. To underline that the Trust undertook to examine all Options for change, yet there is clear evidence to show that they have not been properly assessed. This is particularly the case in relation to Option 4. The Trust is requested to state why it has not fully examined Option 4;

8. To raise the issue of serious bed shortages at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. HCOSC is requested to ask the Trust for those shortages to be quantified and to examine how the shortages are to be met;

9. HCOSC is requested to examine the lack of professional supervision by Senior Doctors which will potentially occur if the proposals are accepted and consequent loss of support for Junior doctors, when Cheltenham’s Surgical Registrar is withdrawn and the HCOSC is requested to examine the implications of such withdrawal;

10. HCOSC is requested to look at the impact of changes, including on the safety of patients, throughout Gloucestershire and in Worcestershire (Gynaecological Cancers), Herefordshire (Urology and Gynaecological Cancers) and Wiltshire (Vascular Surgery), where those patients are treated in Cheltenham GH.

11. Council requests HCOSC to undertake the necessary work as a matter of urgency. The safety of Cheltenham residents - in fact of all Gloucestershire residents and those patients from surrounding counties - who are treated in Cheltenham will, Senior Doctors who wrote to the Hospitals’ Trust believe, be at greater risk because of the proposals put forward;

12. Furthermore, HCOSC is requested to write formally to those Consultants and Senior Doctors who signed the letter to the GHNFT to invite them to express their concerns directly and freely to the Committee. 

13. Further, that Cheltenham Overview and Scrutiny Committee is also requested to write formally to those 58 Senior Doctors, who signed the letter to the Hospitals’ Trust, for them to share their concerns directly with Overview and Scrutiny, in relation to Cheltenham Residents and those from further afield, whose safety may be put at greater risk as a result of the changes proposed. 

Following a question from a Member, Councillor Clucas confirmed that the senior doctors who had written to the Trust had concerns about their own employment future should they be asked questions without a formal invitation from HOSC. She explained that if they have been formally invited it offers them a level of protection in so far as their employment is concerned. She felt that of greatest concern from the proposals put forward by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GHNFT) Board was the potential downgrade of Cheltenham to a day case hospital which posed a real risk to the public’s safety given that it houses a major Oncology Centre. She explained that if no senior surgical medic was available at night to deal with emergencies patients would either have to wait for a consultant to arrive or be taken by ambulance to Gloucester Hospital.

Councillor Horwood, seconding the motion reiterated that as the next meeting of the HCOSC Committee following the Special Council meeting was scheduled for 20^th February, there is a real urgency in the Council forwarding its concerns. He noted that it would mean that all gastrointestinal and colorectal surgery would be moved to Gloucester and so only day cases and planned short stay cases would be accepted in Cheltenham. He explained that whilst it was being presented as a pilot, it was on a large enough scale that it was dubious as to whether it is reversible and so looks to be a downgrade of Cheltenham hospital.  

Councillor Babbage wished to place on record that he was happy to support the motion, however, he had concerns regarding emergency care.

Members noted that the potential changes could affect the whole future of how health care was provided in Cheltenham and could have a knock-on effect on the whole County given that Gloucester is already overstretched.

Councillor Clucas emphasised the importance of the motion receiving cross-party support.

Upon a vote the motion was CARRIED unanimously.