Gloves off in fight to keep popular services (From Stroud News and Journal)

Gloves off in fight to keep popular services

SUPPORT has poured in for threatened health services in Stroud.

It was revealed last week that both Stroud Maternity Hospital and the neighbouring Weavers Croft mental health unit could face cuts or even close as part of a countywide NHS cost-cutting drive.

Stroud MP David Drew, who eight years ago fought alongside the SNJ to save the maternity centre, has once again committed his supported to saving it.

"We must keep it, it is an important part of the fabric of Stroud," he said.

"There is evidence that it works, is popular and fits all the criteria well and I think it is important women have the choice.

"You can't keep putting everything onto one or two sites."

Richard James, chief executive of Cotswold and Vale PCT - the trust in charge of the midwife-led Stroud Maternity unit - said a proposal for relocating specialist services, such as consultant-based obstetrics, to one site was expected shortly.

Unable to rule out a future closure of the centre, he added: "Stroud Maternity is affected by these proposals."

Speaking afterwards, Jo Wynn, PCT spokesman, revealed that maternity care in the county had been an issue for some time.

"It was already on the cards that we would be reviewing maternity services," she said, but added "nothing is formally on the table at the moment."

The future of services may be thrown further into question if, as expected, the three primary care trusts in Gloucestershire - which are currently £23-million in the red and face £5-million funding cuts next year - are merged in October.

There are also testing times ahead for Weavers Croft as mental health in-patient services for adults and older people are soon to be moved onto two sites instead of five.

Jeff James, chief executive of Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust, added: "A quarter of mental health beds will not be used next year."

Community health stalwart, David Miller MBE, chairman of the League of Friends of Stroud Hospital and Health Centre, said the loss of the two threatened centres would be a major blow for Stroud.

"They are proven services of great value to our people," he said.

"From our perspective it is clearly better for patients to be cared for in their own communities.

"As Weavers Croft is doing such a good job we feel it should continue to provide the service as it is now.

"And the targets set in 1998 for Stroud Maternity when last reviewed have been achieved.

"It has done as well as it has been asked to and offers a very high quality of care for mothers."