Horton - home

THE HORTON IS SAFE!

(for now....but the fight goes on)

Everyone wants to know what you think about the proposed "Darzi Centre" (polyclinic) - the latest threat to health services in Banbury

First, the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust is holding two sessions to explain how Banbury's health care is developing - and to listen to your views. You are welcome to meet them at Banbury Town Hall between 11am and 5pm on Friday 20th and 10am to 4pm on Saturday 21st.

Although the Darzi Centre is being forced on Banbury by the government, the PCT have influence and hold the "purse strings" - and they want to hear what you think.

Do we really need a new million-pound facilty that could undermine your local GP surgery and the Horton? Or could the money be better spent improving and extending the hours of our existing services? Make sure you tell the PCT what you think.

Then, shortly afterwards:.

"Keep Our NHS Public" Meeting in Banbury

8 July 6.30 - 9.30 pm

What do YOU think about health services in Banbury?

Here's your chance to have your say and influence national campaign group Keep Our NHS Public. The Oxfordshire branch of KONP is holding its next meeting in Banbury, on 8 July, at the Peoples Church (opposite St Mary's)

Any health related topics are open for discussion, but the live issue is definitely the imposition of the Darzi centre on Banbury. GPs and other stakeholders are concerned that it will destabilise local GP practices and the Horton, as well as being a waste of money - the same benefit could be gained at much lower cost by developing and improving existing GP practices. Nationally, campaigners are concerned that the roll-out of Darzi centres will lead to greater private ownership of the NHS - with profits creamed off for shareholders at the expense of patient care.

What do YOU think? KONP want to know your thoughts on any of the issues affecting health services in Banbury and the local area, and everyone is welcome.

__________________________________________________________________

Despite the amazing victory over the ORHT, Horton campaigners couldn't sit back for long.

- Primary Care Trust working with stakeholders to decide the Way Forward

- The next threat? "Darzi Centre" foisted upon Banbury

- Strategic Health Authority review

Primary Care Trust working with stakeholders to decide the Way Forward

The day after the Secretary of State's decision, campaigners threw themselves into the next stage of the campaign - as part of the stakeholder group that will help the Primary Care Trust decide how to proceed. The IRP have said that maternity and children's services must stay in Banbury, but it's up to the PCT to work with the ORHT and stakeholders to work out how to do it. The IRP gave the PCT one month to come up with a timescale for the process, and asked the Strategic Health Authority to oversee it.

Stakeholders gathered on Good Friday to plan how to proceed.
MPs Tony Baldry and Tim Boswell, Oxfordshire County Council leader Keith Mitchell, Cherwell District Council leader Barry Wood, campaign leader George Parish and others met at Mr Baldry's constituency home in Bloxham.

Those at the meeting agreed there should be no splintering off of different factions in the solution-seeking process and that a single, unified group including all those committed to providing acute hospital care in Banbury should work with the PCT throughout the process. Suspicions were voiced that, after the dust had settled, the ORH might continue to insist that doctors' working times and training issues would prevent maintenance of full services in Banbury, but Mr Baldry explained it would be impossible since both the Health Secretary and Shadow Health Secretary had supported the IRP's insistence that services must be developed rather than reduced.

Letter to the PCT
Mr Baldry followed up this meeting with a letter to the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) demanding that all Banburyshire's 86 GPs should be consulted, not just the handful of pro-downgrading GPs that advised the ORHT. He also asked for a single stakeholders' group to liaise with the PCT on an agreed Horton future, the Horton name to be included in the title of the trust and secrecy surrounding meetings to be ended.

PCT publishes plan
One month after the Secretary of State's decision, the PCT made a commitment to openness, honesty and public consultation in their bid to forge a genuine trust between themselves and Banburyshire. Their report, published April 2008, details a plan of work over the coming two years.

PCT chief executive Andrea Young said it describes three phases, with public consultation between each one. And while a solution is found the Horton's current services must continue.

The stages will be assessing Banburyshire's health needs; developing strategies for meeting those needs; and creating a workable plan that delivers the final strategy.

"We will be asking the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust (ORH) for a plan on how a stabilised service will be delivered during the life of this project," she said. "Commitment from the ORH is implicit in the recommendation that says it must do more to develop integrated practice across its sites at the Horton, JR and Churchill hospitals. We haven't an outcome in mind; it's about working out a process with all the stakeholders."

The proposal is to work with a Programme Board, to ensure the project is administered, and a Community Partnership Forum to bring ideas in, test proposals and give views on work being developed.

"We want cross representation in both groups but haven't yet decided who or what. Both groups will meet in public and we'll try to meet as much as possible in Banbury. Cherwell District Council has made the generous offer of a secretariat and to help where they can with room."

"We have had discussions with key stakeholders and we are taking a fresh approach to looking at healthcare in Banbury and the surrounding areas."

The report says detailed plans for the Horton's long term future are unlikely to be developed until mid 2009.

The planned Darzi GP medical centre in Banbury will be taken into account as plans are considered. The PCT insists it is making no explicit assumptions on the outcome and welcomes community involvement and leadership throughout.

The Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which referred ORH downgrading plans to the Health Secretary, will oversee engagement with stakeholders, patients and the public and will observe the community partnership forum. Community involvement will be encouraged at every possible level.

The next threat? Unwanted "Darzi Centre" foisted upon Banbury

Lord Darzi's review of NHS services is incomplete, yet Oxfordshire's PCT has been told it must launch an 8,000 patient, walk-in doctors surgery in Banbury. Patients will be able to walk in to the Darzi centre between 8am and 8pm and see a GP on demand. The service will cost £900,000 per year to run.

Local GPs are against the idea, but are being forced into making their own bid. Principal Medical Ltd, a consortium of Banburyshire GPs which already runs the out of hours service at the Horton, is bidding to run the centre to avoid it falling into private (profit making) hands.

Dr Richard Lehman said "None of the local GPs think it is a good idea. There is a problem of under-capacity in Banbury, but it could be solved for a small fraction of the £900k budget. Its only purpose is to bring in the private sector, undermine existing services and hasten the fragmentation of the NHS"

Campaigners speculated that the decision to locate the Darzi centre in Banbury was made as a sop, when many people thought the Horton would be downgraded. The centre is supposed to strengthen primary care in the Banbury area, but the centre will also offer some secondary services such as minor surgery, which campaigners worry will undermine the Horton.

Keep the Horton General supports our local GPs' bid. If, as we are told, the centre is inevitable, let it at least stay out of private hands, and in the hands of those who want the Horton to remain viable.

Strategic Health Authority review

The NHS is never allowed to stand still, so campaigners awaited the Strategic Health Authority's shake-up of hospital services with dread. Plans revealed last week by health minister Lord Darzi suggested the government was planning a mass programme of service closures at local hospitals, with maternity and children's services likely to be the first to go.

But, on this occasion, our fears appear to be unfounded. The proposed changes, announced on 19 May 08, did not revive any downgrading at the Horton. Campaigner George Parish said "I'm very pleased that the SHA are following the IRP's directive. The report is looking at all the services together, and that can only be good thing"

MP Tony Baldry said the IRPs decision had effectively "ring fenced" the Horton's future for the next two years, while the PCT works out how to retain services. He said "I strongly suspect that if the IRP had not been so firm, we would have seen the Horton yet again being threatened today"


	KEEP THE HORTON GENERAL

				THE HORTON IS SAFE! (for now....but the fight goes on) Everyone wants to know what you think about the proposed "Darzi Centre" (polyclinic) - the latest threat to health services in Banbury First, the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust is holding two sessions to explain how Banbury's health care is developing - and to listen to your views. You are welcome to meet them at Banbury Town Hall between 11am and 5pm on Friday 20th and 10am to 4pm on Saturday 21st. Although the Darzi Centre is being forced on Banbury by the government, the PCT have influence and hold the "purse strings" - and they want to hear what you think. Do we really need a new million-pound facilty that could undermine your local GP surgery and the Horton? Or could the money be better spent improving and extending the hours of our existing services? Make sure you tell the PCT what you think. Then, shortly afterwards:. "Keep Our NHS Public" Meeting in Banbury 8 July 6.30 - 9.30 pm What do YOU think about health services in Banbury? Here's your chance to have your say and influence national campaign group Keep Our NHS Public. The Oxfordshire branch of KONP is holding its next meeting in Banbury, on 8 July, at the Peoples Church (opposite St Mary's) Any health related topics are open for discussion, but the live issue is definitely the imposition of the Darzi centre on Banbury. GPs and other stakeholders are concerned that it will destabilise local GP practices and the Horton, as well as being a waste of money - the same benefit could be gained at much lower cost by developing and improving existing GP practices. Nationally, campaigners are concerned that the roll-out of Darzi centres will lead to greater private ownership of the NHS - with profits creamed off for shareholders at the expense of patient care. What do YOU think? KONP want to know your thoughts on any of the issues affecting health services in Banbury and the local area, and everyone is welcome. __________________________________________________________________ Despite the amazing victory over the ORHT, Horton campaigners couldn't sit back for long. - Primary Care Trust working with stakeholders to decide the Way Forward - The next threat? "Darzi Centre" foisted upon Banbury - Strategic Health Authority review Primary Care Trust working with stakeholders to decide the Way Forward The day after the Secretary of State's decision, campaigners threw themselves into the next stage of the campaign - as part of the stakeholder group that will help the Primary Care Trust decide how to proceed. The IRP have said that maternity and children's services must stay in Banbury, but it's up to the PCT to work with the ORHT and stakeholders to work out how to do it. The IRP gave the PCT one month to come up with a timescale for the process, and asked the Strategic Health Authority to oversee it. Stakeholders gathered on Good Friday to plan how to proceed. MPs Tony Baldry and Tim Boswell, Oxfordshire County Council leader Keith Mitchell, Cherwell District Council leader Barry Wood, campaign leader George Parish and others met at Mr Baldry's constituency home in Bloxham. Those at the meeting agreed there should be no splintering off of different factions in the solution-seeking process and that a single, unified group including all those committed to providing acute hospital care in Banbury should work with the PCT throughout the process. Suspicions were voiced that, after the dust had settled, the ORH might continue to insist that doctors' working times and training issues would prevent maintenance of full services in Banbury, but Mr Baldry explained it would be impossible since both the Health Secretary and Shadow Health Secretary had supported the IRP's insistence that services must be developed rather than reduced. Letter to the PCT Mr Baldry followed up this meeting with a letter to the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) demanding that all Banburyshire's 86 GPs should be consulted, not just the handful of pro-downgrading GPs that advised the ORHT. He also asked for a single stakeholders' group to liaise with the PCT on an agreed Horton future, the Horton name to be included in the title of the trust and secrecy surrounding meetings to be ended. PCT publishes plan One month after the Secretary of State's decision, the PCT made a commitment to openness, honesty and public consultation in their bid to forge a genuine trust between themselves and Banburyshire. Their report, published April 2008, details a plan of work over the coming two years. PCT chief executive Andrea Young said it describes three phases, with public consultation between each one. And while a solution is found the Horton's current services must continue. The stages will be assessing Banburyshire's health needs; developing strategies for meeting those needs; and creating a workable plan that delivers the final strategy. "We will be asking the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust (ORH) for a plan on how a stabilised service will be delivered during the life of this project," she said. "Commitment from the ORH is implicit in the recommendation that says it must do more to develop integrated practice across its sites at the Horton, JR and Churchill hospitals. We haven't an outcome in mind; it's about working out a process with all the stakeholders." The proposal is to work with a Programme Board, to ensure the project is administered, and a Community Partnership Forum to bring ideas in, test proposals and give views on work being developed. "We want cross representation in both groups but haven't yet decided who or what. Both groups will meet in public and we'll try to meet as much as possible in Banbury. Cherwell District Council has made the generous offer of a secretariat and to help where they can with room." "We have had discussions with key stakeholders and we are taking a fresh approach to looking at healthcare in Banbury and the surrounding areas." The report says detailed plans for the Horton's long term future are unlikely to be developed until mid 2009. The planned Darzi GP medical centre in Banbury will be taken into account as plans are considered. The PCT insists it is making no explicit assumptions on the outcome and welcomes community involvement and leadership throughout. The Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which referred ORH downgrading plans to the Health Secretary, will oversee engagement with stakeholders, patients and the public and will observe the community partnership forum. Community involvement will be encouraged at every possible level. The next threat? Unwanted "Darzi Centre" foisted upon Banbury Lord Darzi's review of NHS services is incomplete, yet Oxfordshire's PCT has been told it must launch an 8,000 patient, walk-in doctors surgery in Banbury. Patients will be able to walk in to the Darzi centre between 8am and 8pm and see a GP on demand. The service will cost £900,000 per year to run. Local GPs are against the idea, but are being forced into making their own bid. Principal Medical Ltd, a consortium of Banburyshire GPs which already runs the out of hours service at the Horton, is bidding to run the centre to avoid it falling into private (profit making) hands. Dr Richard Lehman said "None of the local GPs think it is a good idea. There is a problem of under-capacity in Banbury, but it could be solved for a small fraction of the £900k budget. Its only purpose is to bring in the private sector, undermine existing services and hasten the fragmentation of the NHS" Campaigners speculated that the decision to locate the Darzi centre in Banbury was made as a sop, when many people thought the Horton would be downgraded. The centre is supposed to strengthen primary care in the Banbury area, but the centre will also offer some secondary services such as minor surgery, which campaigners worry will undermine the Horton. Keep the Horton General supports our local GPs' bid. If, as we are told, the centre is inevitable, let it at least stay out of private hands, and in the hands of those who want the Horton to remain viable. Strategic Health Authority review The NHS is never allowed to stand still, so campaigners awaited the Strategic Health Authority's shake-up of hospital services with dread. Plans revealed last week by health minister Lord Darzi suggested the government was planning a mass programme of service closures at local hospitals, with maternity and children's services likely to be the first to go. But, on this occasion, our fears appear to be unfounded. The proposed changes, announced on 19 May 08, did not revive any downgrading at the Horton. Campaigner George Parish said "I'm very pleased that the SHA are following the IRP's directive. The report is looking at all the services together, and that can only be good thing" MP Tony Baldry said the IRPs decision had effectively "ring fenced" the Horton's future for the next two years, while the PCT works out how to retain services. He said "I strongly suspect that if the IRP had not been so firm, we would have seen the Horton yet again being threatened today"
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