CALLS were issued on Friday, October 12, from Harpenden and St Albans Primary Care Trust (PCT) for greater evidence to justify moving in-patient maternity services from Hemel to Watford.
As birthing units for healthy mums-to-be and their babies at both Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospitals were championed as a middle-way, chairman of the PCT John Bennett underlined its work as a protector of the publics' interests and its duty to "the population it serves".
His remarks followed revelations in the past two weeks by Hertfordshire Partnership trust to move its Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) to Watford as an "emergency" measure in light of its inability to recruit a sufficient number of qualified staff.
This decision prompted the North West Herts Hospitals Trust to take the decision to move its in-patient gynaecology and obstetrics in tandem with SCBU, for what it has described as "safety reasons".
At the PCT's board meeting on Friday, Mr Bennett questioned this decision. "We have not yet had demonstrated to us that obstetrics and gynaecology need to follow SCBU," he said.
Many at the meeting supported this opinion, including Dr Roger Sage chair of the PCT executive committee and a member of the Parkbury House surgery in St Albans.
He said: "This came out of the blue even for the professionals, the first time many people read about it was in the newspapers. There was no formal or informal consultation, which causes all sorts of problems.
"The executive committee took the view that we would reluctantly accept temporary closure of SCBU at Hemel with the a review of it reopening at some point.
"The decision to move maternity to Watford was for us a very sudden departure. Our understanding is that all maternity is going to Watford with no consideration of the options. The board felt this really was unacceptable.
"The vast majority of pregnant women in St Albans and Harpenden would not want to go to Watford and the majority of GPs would want to offer alternatives where they exist." Alternatives could include QEII and Lister Hospitals, even north London.
He added that discussions with the executive board had led its members to agree the need to explore low risk maternity units at Hemel and St Albans which, he suggested, would benefit the "majority of mums".
And, he added, it was essential the PCT took a position on the current situation.
He said: "Not to have a position as a PCT would be letting our population down. Saying nothing and acquiescing would imply we were agreeable to this situation and that is not our position."
At a meeting of the trust on Thursday, medical director Howard Borkett-Jones voiced opinions quite different to those of his colleagues on the PCT.
He said: "For the broad compass of deliveries, 2,000 plus, the only way to continue to provide a safe service, which is also sustainable and to retain medical staff and junior staffing posts was to amalgamate the services" on one site.
Chairman of the trust Rosie Sanderson, meanwhile, reiterated the trust's concern that it could not "have people giving birth at Hemel when we don't have facilities for babies in difficulty.
"We asked for a stay of execution to organise a response and they are managing to keep it open on the good will of staff who are working excessive amounts of over time."
Face-to-face discussions with staff affected by the move are expected to take place next week.
October 12, 2001 19:27
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