Row over review of cuts to doctors' hours (From Bucks Free Press)

Row over review of cuts to doctors' hours

10:00am Saturday 10th October 2009 in

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THERE has been a call for more independent voices on the committee due to decide on changes at Marlow Community Hospital.

Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust wants to cut the number of hours doctors are at the hospital from twelve to four per week.

Members said the plans proposed must be reviewed at last month's county council's scrutiny committee for public health services .

A progress report was submitted to the committee by Richard Mills, director of strategy and planning on Bucks PCT, which showed PCT members were going to be on the review panel on October 9.

The suggested membership is chairman David Lund, a non executive director of the PCT, an independent clinician from outside the PCT, a member of the public via the Buckinghamshire Link, a PCT commissioner, a nursing representative and a programme manager.

Paul Rogerson, member of the srutiny committee, said: “I think it should be independently chaired. The league of friends, will be better to give evidence.

The League of Friends is a voluntary organisation.

But officials have defended the suggestion.

Richard Mills said: “David Lund is very independent. He is not involved in any of the processes of selection of the contractors.

“We have taken steps to ensure we gather as much information as we can."

He added they will talk to the public, to patients and to GPs.

The review committee will consider whether the new level of cover impacts detrimentally on the delivery of care to inpatients, the number of hours for patient care in the contract arrangements and links with local GP practices. He added it will consult and review evidence received form interested parties and groups.

Avril Davies, of the scrutiny committee, said: “The evidence giving is most important, not who is on the review committee.

“They should represent everybody who they have heard from. Everyone who is interested should write.”

The plans, will affect other hospitals at Chalfont St Peter, Thame and Buckingham.

The conclusions of the review will be presented at the PHOSC public meeting on November 13.