Have your say about health care in Westminster

As you may know, health services will be changing all around the country as of April 2013 when the Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) cease to exist and are replaced by health commissioning groups in local authorities and groups of GP practices – called Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

Eight of the these CCGs cover North West London, covering eight boroughs including Westminster, and are responsible for the health of 2 million people.

They have been working on ways to change health provision in the NW of London in light of a need to reduce the cost and improve efficiency of the NHS and have come up with three options regarding hospital and clinical provision for health. They are looking for residents to give their views on the changes.

The changes are significant and would include:

• moving some services from their existing locations into five ‘major’ hospitals
• Other sites would become ‘minor’ hospitals with less services
• Closing some of the A&E units locally but replacing with ‘urgent care’ wards at local hospitals.
• Having a more local care system coordinated by GPs.

The changes are planned to make savings but also to provide more appropriate and better streamlined care that does not rely on people being in hospital as much.

They are conducting consultation with residents until the 8th October 2012. These changes could really affect you so please do take time to share your views and get back to them.

More information can be found https://www.healthiernorthwestlondon.nhs.uk/ and the consultation documents and form to return are also on this website.

Please get in touch with Charlotte on 0207 266 8252 or charlotte@pdt.org.uk if you need any help.