A CONSULTATION into the future of south east London's healthcare has been handed to analysts.
Out of 700,000 documents released to residents in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley and Bromley during the three-month Picture of Health consultation, less than 10,000 responses were received.
Analysts at Imperial College, London, have received 7,500 postal responses, 707 internet responses, and 1,332 responses through other means, making a total of 9,539.
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They also received 1,308 separate inquiries through email and phone services.
Simon Robbins, senior responsible officer for A Picture of Health, said the figures compared positively to other NHS consultations.
He said: "I think these initial findings demonstrate that the consultation achieved its goal of creating public awareness of A Picture of Health, stimulating people to engage in the debate, contribute their views and suggestions, and these will play an important role in informing the final decision."
A report into the consultation is expected to be available in mid-June, with a final decision due in July.
Posted by: Carolyn, Bromley on 11:39am Fri 25 Apr 08
I had considered responding, but through experience I know that whatever the public will be ignored. I believe that the decisions have already been made behind the scenes and consultations are only held because they have a legal duty to do so.
I had considered responding, but through experience I know that whatever the public will be ignored. I believe that the decisions have already been made behind the scenes and consultations are only held because they have a legal duty to do so.
I wonder if many people understand the consequencies of the proposed changes to the nhs?? Imagine all the local GP surgeries being closed down due to insfficient funds. Imagine the whole borough having to go to one of two super surgeries run by private companiesw like Virgin or health care alliance. Imagine if your care was free at point of entry only!!Imagine what would take prcidence:quality health care or profit??
[bold]bold[/bold] Im sure we wont need to wait for long, its just round the corner.
I wonder if many people understand the consequencies of the proposed changes to the nhs?? Imagine all the local GP surgeries being closed down due to insfficient funds. Imagine the whole borough having to go to one of two super surgeries run by private companiesw like Virgin or health care alliance. Imagine if your care was free at point of entry only!!Imagine what would take prcidence:quality health care or profit??
Im sure we wont need to wait for long, its just round the corner.
Posted by: Ian, Lee Green, London on 12:55pm Fri 25 Apr 08
Carolyn,
How can you then explain the 3 strikingly different options given if it was pre-determined? Surely, if they rigged it they would give the option they wanted - and 2 other unpalletable options.
I think it's great that 10,000 people responded to the consultation document and find the negativity of this article very disappointing.
Carolyn,
How can you then explain the 3 strikingly different options given if it was pre-determined? Surely, if they rigged it they would give the option they wanted - and 2 other unpalletable options.
I think it's great that 10,000 people responded to the consultation document and find the negativity of this article very disappointing.
Posted by: John Hemming-Clark, Chislehurst on 1:39pm Fri 25 Apr 08
The 3 options are not "strikingly different". All 3 options advocate keeping PRUH and Queen Elizabeth as fully admitting hospitals; all 3 options advocate losing essential services (A&E, maternity, intensive care etc)at Queen Mary's. Of the original 23 options most of them advocated keeping Queen Mary's as a fully admitting hospital. However, in te final 3 options, these had all disappeared. The option of keeping Queen Mary's as a fully admitting hospital just wasn't presented to the people of Bexley and Bromley Boroughs. The fight goes on. [bold]John Hemming-Clark, London Assembly Candidate, Independents to save Queen Mary's Hospital[/bold] .
The 3 options are not "strikingly different". All 3 options advocate keeping PRUH and Queen Elizabeth as fully admitting hospitals; all 3 options advocate losing essential services (A&E, maternity, intensive care etc)at Queen Mary's. Of the original 23 options most of them advocated keeping Queen Mary's as a fully admitting hospital. However, in te final 3 options, these had all disappeared. The option of keeping Queen Mary's as a fully admitting hospital just wasn't presented to the people of Bexley and Bromley Boroughs. The fight goes on. John Hemming-Clark, London Assembly Candidate, Independents to save Queen Mary's Hospital .
Were the documents delivered to residents homes or were we meant to collect them from somewhere? I have not received A Picture of Health so am assuming that neither did my neighbours, perhaps that is the reason for such a poor response.
Were the documents delivered to residents homes or were we meant to collect them from somewhere? I have not received A Picture of Health so am assuming that neither did my neighbours, perhaps that is the reason for such a poor response.
When this document was first released I contacted the Newshopper trying to get it to drum up enthusiasm amongst the public but it was not interested.There have been numerous letters published from people asking why they haven't received the document. Piles of them have been in local libaries and hospitals but as we all know the general public are apathetic until they realise that its going to affect them.
Well folks it WILL affect everyone of us...there will be NO ROUTINE operations performed in the Bromley area...you will have to travel out of borough for your hernia repairs,hysterectomi
es,day surgical procedures. It will be OK if you have a serious accident in Bromley as the PRUH will be one large A/E unit....Oh sorry it will be full of out of borough patients and poor pregnant women queuing to give birth.
When this document was first released I contacted the Newshopper trying to get it to drum up enthusiasm amongst the public but it was not interested.There have been numerous letters published from people asking why they haven't received the document. Piles of them have been in local libaries and hospitals but as we all know the general public are apathetic until they realise that its going to affect them.
Well folks it WILL affect everyone of us...there will be NO ROUTINE operations performed in the Bromley area...you will have to travel out of borough for your hernia repairs,hysterectomi
es,day surgical procedures. It will be OK if you have a serious accident in Bromley as the PRUH will be one large A/E unit....Oh sorry it will be full of out of borough patients and poor pregnant women queuing to give birth.
Posted by: Douglas Cheverst, Bexleyheath on 8:56am Sat 26 Apr 08
The reason for the poor response? It is an exercise in cynicism - Labour will take not the slightest notice of what the people of a Tory think (just look at how much notice they took of the borough`s opposition to the waste burner....) plus the Government wasted so many billions in PFIs that will take decades to clear that they cannot afford to let our hospital stay as it is, so why bother - we already know the outcome.
The reason for the poor response? It is an exercise in cynicism - Labour will take not the slightest notice of what the people of a Tory think (just look at how much notice they took of the borough`s opposition to the waste burner....) plus the Government wasted so many billions in PFIs that will take decades to clear that they cannot afford to let our hospital stay as it is, so why bother - we already know the outcome.
Posted by: Carolyn, Bromley on 11:17am Sat 26 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Ian[/bold] wrote:
Carolyn, How can you then explain the 3 strikingly different options given if it was pre-determined? Surely, if they rigged it they would give the option they wanted - and 2 other unpalletable options. I think it's great that 10,000 people responded to the consultation document and find the negativity of this article very disappointing. [/quote] Ian, read John Hemming-Clark's response. This is exactly what I mean. Don't be fooled into thinking you've got a real choice here.
Ian wrote:
Carolyn, How can you then explain the 3 strikingly different options given if it was pre-determined? Surely, if they rigged it they would give the option they wanted - and 2 other unpalletable options. I think it's great that 10,000 people responded to the consultation document and find the negativity of this article very disappointing.
Ian, read John Hemming-Clark's response. This is exactly what I mean. Don't be fooled into thinking you've got a real choice here.
Posted by: Gordon Beer, Orpington on 8:24pm Sat 26 Apr 08
The reason I did not fill in the questionair was that the questions were pre-loaded to give the answers which would justify the catastrophic decisions which have already been made.
The reason I did not fill in the questionair was that the questions were pre-loaded to give the answers which would justify the catastrophic decisions which have already been made.
Posted by: Mrs G.Smith, Crayford on 9:16pm Sat 26 Apr 08
I started to fill in the document but realised that I didn't have enough facts and figures to give an informed opinion. As these changes are being made to give the best care whilst making financial savings, I suspect that the decision has already been made and that the process of public consultation is a mere formality.
I started to fill in the document but realised that I didn't have enough facts and figures to give an informed opinion. As these changes are being made to give the best care whilst making financial savings, I suspect that the decision has already been made and that the process of public consultation is a mere formality.
PP, nowhere did the consultation suggest the privatisation of health services. I wish this had been an option. It is the only way to ensure a provision of health services that is efficient and of the quality that people are prepared to pay for. The NHS has quite clearly failed.
PP, nowhere did the consultation suggest the privatisation of health services. I wish this had been an option. It is the only way to ensure a provision of health services that is efficient and of the quality that people are prepared to pay for. The NHS has quite clearly failed.
Can anyone tell me what GPs are at present offerinig to pregnant women in the area. At my surgery if a lady wants to go to QMS then she has to make a special appointment with someone to request this. What hastle! Is this another way to make it appear that maternity services at QMS are not required . If not enough women know they can still choose QMs to go there and if they have to make a seperate appointment with their GP/ midwife then perhaps they may think its just easier to book with the other hospitals on offer. Is this a ploy so that in a few months time the powers that be can turn around to the Government and say, look these are the figures of women requesting QMstherefore we can not justify keeping maternity services at QMs open as there is not enough women that want to go there. Watch this space.!! The decision has been made and there was no choice given to us in The Picture of Health document. I would have chose to have the specialist birthing unit at QMs as it already has this there and has only been built in the last couple of years and the other hospitals have yet to build one. The other maternity hospitals are constantly closing their doors because they cannot cope and sending the women to QMs, who,stay open even when full.
Can anyone tell me what GPs are at present offerinig to pregnant women in the area. At my surgery if a lady wants to go to QMS then she has to make a special appointment with someone to request this. What hastle! Is this another way to make it appear that maternity services at QMS are not required . If not enough women know they can still choose QMs to go there and if they have to make a seperate appointment with their GP/ midwife then perhaps they may think its just easier to book with the other hospitals on offer. Is this a ploy so that in a few months time the powers that be can turn around to the Government and say, look these are the figures of women requesting QMstherefore we can not justify keeping maternity services at QMs open as there is not enough women that want to go there. Watch this space.!! The decision has been made and there was no choice given to us in The Picture of Health document. I would have chose to have the specialist birthing unit at QMs as it already has this there and has only been built in the last couple of years and the other hospitals have yet to build one. The other maternity hospitals are constantly closing their doors because they cannot cope and sending the women to QMs, who,stay open even when full.
I'm amazed even that many people responded.
The consultation form was an absolute disaster - probably more difficult than filling in a tax return. It kept sending you back to find unindexed information from scrappy info columns. Totally confusing and frustrating.
It was fairly clear that it was intended to force respondants into making the choices they wanted.
I'm amazed even that many people responded.
The consultation form was an absolute disaster - probably more difficult than filling in a tax return. It kept sending you back to find unindexed information from scrappy info columns. Totally confusing and frustrating.
It was fairly clear that it was intended to force respondants into making the choices they wanted.
Can I please encourage as many of you to respond as possible. Imperial College who are collating the responses will still consider responses received before the end of May. Please email them on [bold]APOH@Lewishampct.nhs
.uk or phone on 0800 321 3579[/bold] .The overwhelming response so far from Bexley, local clinicians, Medical Colleges, resident groups etc has been against the proposed changes. Its not too late to add your views. Please add your voice that you want to save vital services at Queen Marys Hospital and others. Dont wait for others to do it, fight for your local hospital.
Thank you
I can be contacted at Bexley Council 0208 303 7777
Can I please encourage as many of you to respond as possible. Imperial College who are collating the responses will still consider responses received before the end of May. Please email them on APOH@Lewishampct.nhs
.uk or phone on 0800 321 3579 .The overwhelming response so far from Bexley, local clinicians, Medical Colleges, resident groups etc has been against the proposed changes. Its not too late to add your views. Please add your voice that you want to save vital services at Queen Marys Hospital and others. Dont wait for others to do it, fight for your local hospital.
Thank you
I can be contacted at Bexley Council 0208 303 7777
Posted by: John Hemming-Clark, Chislehurst on 9:09pm Mon 28 Apr 08
Ian - when they say they have received 7,500 postal responses what you have to remember is that a postal response includes not only someone who completes the questionnaire but also someone who only partially completes the questionniare - as well as someone who doesn't complete the questionnaire at all but just writes a letter. Whatever the letter says it still counts as a response! Take a look at www.faect.blogspot.c
om for an expansion of this. [bold]Independents to Save Queen Mary's Hospital[/bold]
Ian - when they say they have received 7,500 postal responses what you have to remember is that a postal response includes not only someone who completes the questionnaire but also someone who only partially completes the questionniare - as well as someone who doesn't complete the questionnaire at all but just writes a letter. Whatever the letter says it still counts as a response! Take a look at www.faect.blogspot.c
om for an expansion of this. Independents to Save Queen Mary's Hospital
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