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Subject: An open letter from Andover & District Older People's Forum (AOPF) to the doctors' letter re bringing some hospital services together.
DÉJÀ VU or LESSONS LEARNED
1. Induction
There is overwhelming support for the need of a critical care hospital for the area covered by Hampshire Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust and for the need to combine some resources/ services currently at both Basingstoke and Winchester hospitals onto one site.
That need was identified as long ago as 2012 and a detailed configuration of plans commenced to be put together. One presumes there was a promised and identified source of income to fund the 10th November 2014 announcement by BBC News of a £150 Million critical treatment hospital on a Greenfield site near a Hampshire village.
One must also presume, unless the whole announcement was a PR exercise, that no organisation or government Department would go ahead with such a huge project, and associated planning of a new hospital, without a requisite amount of funding having been identified. Indeed such funding is essential to guide any work on planning to take place.
In 2014 we were told that HHFT were to ask residents’ views on building the hospital near North Waltham at J7 of the M3 and that consultation was to begin as part of the pre planning process.
2. Factors for Consideration
It would be helpful to know if that consultation ever began.
Is the position we are in today regarding this consultation any further forward than that of 2012? OVER 10 years ago at least!
Recognition should be taken of the detailed plans for the new Hospital that were on view on 4th February 2015 in Basingstoke Golf Club in Kempshott Park for 2 days.
We would also like to pass in review of the detailed notes and minutes of any meetings that took place. For example by the North Waltham Action group of residents questioning the effects of traffic might have on the rural landscape.
There is a need to ask how soon will it be before we are asked to consider the current plans in exactly the same manner.
Also it is important to know that if such a process is about to start again, what mitigation will take place/ has taken place?
Public awareness demands that this repetitive chain of events needs publicly highlighting. So much previous work, past protests, consultation minutes and more besides are no doubt available.
The question needs answering as to whether this rerun consultation is once again undertaken without any consideration to the outcome of the previous discussions. For example in today’s climate the Costs of roadworks, access availability, Travel details, Transport to and from the New Hospital and how will these be met given the withdrawal of Bus and train service levels.
It would be helpful to understand how £150 Million in 2012 becomes, as headlined on 1st December 2017, “Planned £336 million hospital for North Hampshire scrapped” and also we would also like to know more of the detail that allowed the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to simply say the hospital was not affordable given the financial challenges facing the NHS. The figure of cost now shown as £665 Million.
These factors for consideration are listed because the Members of the Andover & District Older People’s Forum seek reassurance that this sad fiasco will not merely repeat itself. It appears that it matters not who is in government.
This is a serious political issue, the Forum is not Party Political, but our interests in our health and well-being is paramount. This Hospital will not be built in our lifetime anyway, but future generations will have the needs we so much feel essential today.
3. Tentative Conclusion
The members of the Forum have considered these factors, and whilst it would be possible to list all the likely problems that will arise in the process, ie: objections, loss of land, GPs disapproval, Funding withdrawal and costing errors, the only really important question to which we need answers is:
What can we learn from this past failure that will assist in swiftly moving to the point where the first piece of the building is put into place and the Hospital commences?
Kind regards
Wendy Rayner
Secretary
Andover & District Older People's Forum - AOPF
email - andover.opf@gmail.com
Committee Members: Chairman Jenny Kay-Vice Chairman Haydn Watkins-Secretary Wendy Rayner-Treasurer Fred North
The Care England Manifesto;
A Strategy for the Future of Long Term Care
Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has today launched its Long Term Plan for the independent adult social care sector.
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:
“Social care has been ignored by successive governments. Now a long term plan for adult social care is critical. There is no need for further consultation, review of Green Papers; the moment has passed. The sector is brimming with innovation, energy and commitment which needs to be harnessed by an incoming Government into a long term plan”.
The General Election will be held on 12 December and social care is fast becoming a ‘doorstep issue’. Care England’s Long Term Plan calls for the long term sustainability of the adult social are sector to be secured through an immediate £4 billion followed by a longer term plan to ensure the future sustainability of the sector. Unlike other sectors, social care has not received the funding necessary to meet the rapidly rising levels of demand that it has, and will continue, to see. http://www.careengland.org.uk/publications-consultations
Care England calls for fair funding, proportionate regulation and due recognition maintaining that quality care cannot be delivered on a shoestring. Recent research tells us that the majority of social care providers are increasingly pressurised and envisage having to close some part of their services in the near future. The creation of a long term funding solution is also interlinked with the development of an effective and motivated social care workforce, Care England will be holding its National Conference on 13 November entitled Workforce Matters.
Martin Green continues:
“The needs of England’s diverse and pluralist society will be best met by a mixed economy where quality care can be both maintained and increased. We urge providers to use this Long Term Plan to challenge their electoral candidates on their policies for the future direction of care including a well resourced and well trained social care workforce”.
Latest copies of NPC ‘Campaign Bulletins’
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Election Special 2024 Issue 183
Winter 2024 Issue 184
February 2025 Issue 185
NPC says: ‘Don’t switch her off - do the right thing by your older constituents!’
Every UK MP is being sent a personal plea to save the free TV licence for the country’s millions of over 75’s before the concession is axed on May 31.
Britain’s largest campaigning organisation for older people, the National Pensioners Convention, has emailed personal letters to MP’s of all parties asking that they support the campaign to retain the benefit for our 5.4 million oldest citizens.
The NPC says while the Government has announced a consultation on whether non-payment of the TV licence fee should be decriminalised, over 75’s who can’t afford the £154.40 cost (£157.40 from April) still face having to switch off in June.
NPC General Secretary Jan Shortt said: “We have written to all MP’s to ask that they do the right thing by their oldest and most vulnerable constituents.
“Millions of over 75’s, who are already struggling on the basic state pension, will suffer if the free TV licence is scrapped – they’ll have to choose whether to opt for a cooked meal, a warm home or have the company of their TV.
“It’s not a choice any of our MP’s will ever likely have to face. So we ask them to think of the oldest and most vulnerable in their constituencies - many of them voters who have put their trust in their Parliamentary representatives at the recent election – and back the campaign to stop the free TV licence for over 75’s being axed.
The NPC asks that MP’s press the Government to take back the funding of the free licence from the BBC as a matter of urgency.”
Lobbying Your Local MP
Kit Malthouse is our local MP. His website is kitmalthouse.com
Kit is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North West Hampshire. First elected as the MP in 2015.
London, SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 5605. E: kit.malthouse.mp@parliament.uk
Why not get involved with AOPF?
The Andover & District Older People's Forum’s purpose is to actively engage in issues affecting the well-being, interests and concerns of the over 55 age group in the Andover & District area; helping with as much information and as many connections as we can provide.
If you feel moved by the drive AOPF promotes, we would very much appreciate your support.
Contact us today to learn more about us, or to ask how you might work with us to help in our local community. Or come along to our next meeting - dates can be found on our Meetings Page - we look forward to welcoming you.
Thank You