NHS chiefs could axe 24 A&E wards as part of huge shake-up

February 6, 2017

The plans to close or downgrade units could be enacted within four years
East London, West Bromwich and Birmingham all thought to be under threat
Seven hospital trusts have confirmed they are considering changes to their AE

Ben Spencer Medical Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published:
18:35 EST, 5 February 2017

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Updated:
02:36 EST, 6 February 2017

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Health bosses are planning to close or downgrade 24 AE units as part of a huge NHS shake-up, experts warned last night.

The controversial plans, set to be enacted within four years, have been confirmed at seven English hospitals – and another 17 are in the balance.

AE units are set to close in east London, West Bromwich and Birmingham – and comprehensive emergency departments elsewhere will be replaced with ‘urgent care centres’.

Health bosses are planning to close or downgrade 24 AE units as part of a huge NHS shake-up. Changes have been confirmed at seven units and another 17 are in the balance

The plans are part of a scheme to streamline the NHS in a bid to improve efficiency and save millions of pounds.

Every hospital trust in England was ordered last year to identify departments which could be closed or merged with other institutions. Bosses at NHS England have divided the country into 44 regions, with each told to draw up a ‘sustainability and transformation plan’ to share resources between hospitals.

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In most areas, this will involve sharing specialist units such as rheumatology, dermatology or urology.

But research by the Health Service Journal has revealed 24 hospitals where AE units are also at risk.

This means 14 per cent of England’s ‘type one’ emergency units – consultant-led, comprehensive 24-hour services – might be lost.

AE units are set to close in east London, West Bromwich and Birmingham – and comprehensive emergency departments elsewhere will be replaced with ‘urgent care centres’

Closing AE units has always been considered politically toxic.

When plans were announced to close Lewisham’s AE in south London in 2013, a legal appeal was taken all the way to the High Court before the idea was abandoned.

But in the face of the mounting financial pressures and booming patient numbers, NHS England has ordered managers across the country to look again at their emergency services.

Units which are performing badly are most likely to close – with NHS managers encouraged to consider ‘consolidating’ services with better hospitals nearby.

Most AE units will turn into ‘urgent care centres’ instead, which will still treat patients for most ailments but might not have extensive resuscitation facilities and may not be able to admit people for overnight care.

Could YOUR casualty be scrapped?

CLOSED OR DOWNGRADED

King George, Redbridge, East London

Birmingham City

Sandwell District General, Midlands

Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, Worcs

Dewsbury and District, West Yorkshire

Ealing Hospital, north London

Poole Hospital, Dorset

UNDER THREAT

Bedford Milton Keynes

Stafford County, Royal Stoke and Burton Queens

Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

Darlington Memorial and University Hospital of North Tees

Macclesfield District General

Epsom, St Helier and Kingston hospitals

George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton, warwickshire

Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, Lancashire

Southend University Hospital, Essex

Broomfield, Essex

Horton General Hospital, Oxfordshire

Greater Manchester – Tameside General in Ashton or Fairfield General in Bury

Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Telford, Shropshire

Merseyside – Southport and Warrington hospitals

Grantham District Hospital, Lincolnshire

Weston General Hospital, Somerset

Scarborough General, N Yorkshire

According to the analysis, seven hospital trusts have confirmed they are considering changes to their AE unit.

Another 26 are in the running for closure or downgrade, but the plans have not yet been announced.

Of those, changes will be made at only 17 at the most, as the downgrade of some would mean the retention of others.

Dr Chris Moulton, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: ‘Even hospitals that could cope with a large increase in emergency attendances do not have sufficient bed numbers or other facilities to care for the accompanying surge in admitted patients.

This means 14 per cent of England’s ‘type one’ emergency units – consultant-led, comprehensive 24-hour services – might be lost

‘No emergency department downgrade should take place without due consideration for patient safety.’

An NHS spokesman said: ‘The number of people seeking urgent care is on the rise so overall we expect the range of services available to them to expand over coming years.

‘Within that overall expansion, it may be possible to improve care and save lives with some concentration of specialist urgent services.

‘However, we do not expect significant numbers of AE changes in the years ahead.’