Special: Tell us what you think about the latest shake-up at Wycombe Hospital (From Bucks Free Press)

Special: Tell us what you think about the latest shake-up at Wycombe Hospital

10:15am Friday 27th January 2012 in Editor's Chair

THE South Bucks Star and Bucks Free Press are asking readers what they think about plans for a major transfer of beds out of Wycombe Hospital.

This week, Editor Steve Cohen gives over his column to urge you to tell us what you think – and send in anecdotal evidence to support your view.

If you feel Wycombe should retain the services, tell us why, giving examples if you can. Why is it unreasonable to send more Wycombe patients to Stoke Mandeville?

Or if you support the centralisation, tell us what the benefits would be for patients. Have you experienced improved care in a specialist unit?

NHS bosses say patients needing an overnight stay for medicine, respiratory, gastroenterology and diabetes services should no longer be treated in Wycombe.

Elderly patients with long-term conditions are likely to be most affected.

The NHS Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Cluster collected the views of about 570 members of the public before publishing the proposals – saying a majority supported the changes.

But John Barlow, a former non-executive director of the NHS in Wycombe, questioned the way the survey was conducted, saying it asked leading questions.

The plans would bring the closure of 67 beds at the Queen Alexandra Road hospital, across at least four wards in the tower block.

The Emergency Medical Centre would be downgraded to reflect these changes – with urgent medical patients being directed to Stoke Mandeville or Wexham Park hospitals instead.

Wycombe Hospital would still cater for medical outpatients and remain a specialist centre for stroke and cardiology.

Its breast care unit will be enhanced under the plans, with a new assessment unit for elderly or frail patients to be developed.

The plans, laid out in a consultation document called 'Better Healthcare in Buckinghamshire', would mean Wycombe Hospital sees about 7,600 fewer people per year – a reduction of about three per cent on its current activity.

Health chiefs say focusing medical and A&E expertise on a single site will save £2 million per year and provide “more specialist, better resourced, higher quality service overall”.

But critics say they have not dispelled concerns over transport – adding a town the size of Wycombe should not be losing more hospital services.

Wycombe’s main A&E and maternity wards have already been moved to Stoke Mandeville in recent years.

Email your views, with anecdotal evidence if possible, to ldunhill@london.newsquest.co.uk Or post a letter to: Lawrence Dunhill, Bucks Free Press, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, Loudwater, High Wycombe, HP10 9TY.

We intend to pass your feedback in a dossier to the NHS as well as publishing extracts from them. Please indicate if you have any special preferences on this.

Please give us a telephone number in case we need to clarify information.