2023
West Cornwall Hospital
WCHW decided to start campaigning for essential local facilities, calling for ‘care closer to home’, expanding provision at WCH. Our press release: ‘What’s going on at West Cornwall Hospital?’ was published. A meeting of the West Cornwall Hospital Forum didn’t give any answers to members’ questions.
David Levine, Andrew George, and Colin Philip, along with input from WCHW, published a ‘Prospectus’ relating to the future of WCH, which led to the creation of the WCH Development Group. This Development Group was up and running by the summer, bringing all parties together to try to determine the future of WCH – outpatient clinics, urgent care, etc.
We learned that WCH couldn’t be named a Community Diagnostic Centre as it doesn’t have an MRI
After much work, the WCHW petition about 24/7 UTC was presented to the Integrated Care Board. Sadly, it had little impact. A big thank you to all the members of the public who supported this.
Members had a meeting about the petition with Kate Shields, Matthew Boulter, Neil Walden and Juliet Ferris, after which a press release was issued. (November 2023)
There were confusing communications from the NHS with the community about where to go for urgent treatment.
And plans were revealed for three UTCs: WCH (in the west), Bodmin (in the east), CRCH ( in the middle). We remain confused about these plans!
Other hospitals, primary care and social care
We learned that audiology has been contracted out, under AQP.
We were confused about the changes at St Michaels Hayle, and we learned that trauma cases at SMH were now being returned to Treliske.
HUMANS and CHAOS were working to get patients home out of hospital – a four week programme – this gave back-up, but without health professionals involved, and we were concerned about that.
We heard about very poorly patients in care homes who should be in hospital, meaning that GPs were having to support them.
West Cornwall HealthWatch WCHW had a meeting with Kate Shields in January 2023 – she made a wide range of statements, few of which actually came to pass, and followed up no issues after the meeting.
WCHW decided to start campaigning for essential local facilities, calling for ‘care closer to home’, expanding provision at WCH, launching this on Mazey Day in June, collecting signatures for a petition, and patient stories. Our press release: ‘What’s going on at West Cornwall Hospital?’ was published. A meeting of the West Cornwall Hospital Forum didn’t give any answers to members’ questions.
Members had a meeting about the petition with Kate Shields, Matthew Boulter, Neil Walden and Juliet Ferris, after which a press release was issued. (November 2023)
Two members met with Derek Thomas MP. He said that Steve Barclay was keeping a close eye on Cornwall as it’s the worst performing area. He was going to meet with the Chair of CPFT about their involvement in talks about the future of the UTC.