Alex Burghart MP Welcomes Pause to Changes at Brentwood Community Hospital
A proposal to remove intermediate care beds from Brentwood Community Hospital and replace them with a 50 bed stroke unit for Mid and South Essex has been shelved for six months.
Brentwood’s Member of Parliament, Alex Burghart MP, who campaigned against the proposal, is delighted the new Chief Executive of the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board, Tom Abell, has taken such swift action over the controversial plans:
“I am pleased the views of local people, and their genuine concerns about the loss of intermediate care beds in our only hospital in the Brentwood and Ongar constituency have been heard. I want to see the Brentwood Community Hospital being used efficiently for local people so I hope the six month pause is the start of a permanent change of heart by the Integrated Care Board.
“One of the most important things to come out of the consultation events I attended was that people get better quicker if their relatives and friends can visit them easily, and I hope this is something the ICB remembers as it develops its new solutions for healthcare in this part of Essex.”
Tom Abell, in a letter to interested parties, said he had realised the strength of felling about the proposals in local communities and has made it clear more time is needed to explore further the suggestions made and to develop more comprehensive solutions together.
An independently chaired working group is being formed to focus on further engagement, reviewing feedback from the consultation and looking at other options for where community beds should be available.
Alex Burghart MP added: “Brentwood Community Hospital was originally built, with the help of significant local fund-raising, for the care of local people. It is the only NHS hospital in my constituency, and provides outstanding care for my constituents when they need some extra support to get home. I am delighted the status quo is being maintained for the moment and will make sure I am involved in the ongoing discussions about the future of our local health services.”
