Consultation launched on hospitals shake-up

Posted by The Journal on May 6, 09 10:48 AM in News

Plans for a range of new hospital services in Northumberland that would see changes to facilities at Wansbeck General have gone out to public consultation.

Northumbria Healthcare Trust announced a ÃÂ£200m package of work earlier this year that would include improvements to Wansbeck and North Tyneside general hospitals, a new emergency care centre near Cramlington and improvements to community hospitals in Berwick and Haltwhistle.

It has now launched a three-month consultation on the plans, with leaflets outlining the plans being sent to every home in Northumberland and a series of public meetings held where people can have their say.

Lyn Dixon, executive director of service modernisation for NHS North of Tyne, said: "These proposals would result in major changes in the way that people who live in Northumberland and North Tyneside receive emergency care services.

"People needing emergency treatment would be taken by a blue light ambulance to a new hospital off the A19 near to the A1 instead of to Wansbeck, North Tyneside or Hexham general hospitals.

"They would be seen and treated very quickly by a consultant who specialises in the illness or injury affecting them. After two or three days they would be discharged to the general hospital nearest to where they live or home if they are well enough.

"The new hospital would enable Northumbria Healthcare to bring together a substantial team of specialists on one site. At the moment cover is diluted across three sites.

"The other proposals are to provide more single rooms and bathrooms and have fewer beds in bays at Wansbeck and North Tyneside general hospitals which would provide more privacy for patients and help with infection control and rebuild the outdated hospitals at Berwick and Haltwhistle."

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