Last Chance to Save Frenchay

March 2005

South Gloucestershire residents are rallying round in a last ditch attempt to save Frenchay Hospital in advance of a crucial meeting on Monday 14th March. My office has been swamped by e-mails, letters and petitions from local people demanding a reprieve for the hospital, threatened with being "downgraded" to a "community hospital" as part of plans for a major shake-up of local hospitals.

I am totally opposed to this downgrading recommendation since it flies in the face of the clearly expressed views of the large majority of local residents who have responded to my consultations and to those of the Trusts themselves. In particular, I have real concerns about issues such as access to emergency services for local people if Frenchay is to be downgraded.

However, the final decision has not yet been made, and I am very encouraged that the other major hospital trust - United Bristol Healthcare Trust - has apparently decided not to back either Frenchay or Southmead. There was a real danger that the Trusts would simply row in behind the recommendation of the Bristol Health Services Plan and give an overwhelming vote against Frenchay. I believe that the high level of response from local people may have encouraged them not to simply nod through the proposals.

On 14th March, the four Primary Care Trusts and the two acute hospital trusts will be meeting in Bristol to vote on the future of Frenchay and to make a final decision.

If you feel strongly about the future of Frenchay, now is the time to make your views known.

I am listing below the name, address and (where available) e-mail addresses of the people who chair the six trusts who will be at that meeting.

If you feel strongly about this issue:

A) Please e-mail or write to these six people telling them your views; please be as measured and reasonable as you can as they are more likely to respond to a strong argument than to a hostile message;

B) Please forward this e-mail to everyone in your e-mail inbox who you think might also want to register their views; do encourage them to copy me in on any e-mails that they send (to stevewebb@cix.co.uk), so that I can gauge the strength of local feeling.

C) Come along on Monday 14th March to the Beeches Hotel, Broomhill Road, Brislington, where the chairs of the trusts will be making their final decision. We will be demonstrating outside the hotel from 9.30am, and hope that local people will join us to register their concern. We hope to be able to arrange community transport from Yate, and I would be keen to hear from anyone who will be coming. A large turnout will send a clear message that we are not happy with the proposals.

D) Write to the local press to air your views.

Thank you!

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Contact details for the six trusts:

 

Brian Goodson
Chair, South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT
1 Monarch Court
Emerald Park
Emerson's Green
Bristol BS16 7FH

or e-mail brian.goodson@sglos-pct.nhs.uk  

Arthur Keefe
Chair, Bristol North PCT
King Square House
King Square
Bristol
BS2 8EE

or e-mail: info@bristolnorth-pct.nhs.uk  


Christina Baron
Chair, North Somerset PCT
Waverley House
Old Church Road
Clevedon
North Somerset
BS21 6NN

e-mail: contact@nsomerset-pct.nhs.uk


Tom Dowell
Chair, Bristol South and West PCT
King Square House
King Square
Bristol
BS2 8EE

e-mail: tom.dowell@bristolswpct.nhs.uk

 

Nicholas Godden
Chair, North Bristol NHS Trust
Trust Headquarters
Beckspool Road
Frenchay
Bristol
BS16 1JE

e-mail: nicholas.godden@north-bristol.swest.nhs.uk    

 

Phil Gregory
Chair, United Bristol Healthcare Trust
Trust Headquarters
Marlborough Street
Bristol
BS1 3NU

e-mail: chief.executive@ubht.swest.nhs.uk