New hospitals must offer emergency care, NHS told

The medical group advising NHS bosses which services should be provided at two new hospital sites says they must both offer 24/7 emergency care.

Two new hospitals are under construction at the James Paget in Gorleston and the Queen Elizabeth in King's Lynn.

The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group (NWHG) is in the process of planning which departments will be established and - with campaigners concerned that some services could be reduced - has insisted no final decisions have been made.

Dr Bernard Brett, chair of the clinical advisory group, told the BBC: "All the clinicians together feel there has to be access to 24-hour emergency care" at all three of Norfolk's hospitals.

Protests have been held in King's Lynn over concerns that accident and emergency, surgical and maternity services could be reduced.

The new hospitals are expected to open in 2033, a date which has been pushed back several times.

The clinical advisory group (CAG), which represents 60 medics from across the three hospitals, will give recommendations to the hospitals' group, which says they aim to create services fit for the future and the changing needs of the county as the population ages.

Brett, a consultant gastroenterologist working across the three hospitals, said that while the CAG "recognise the geography of our patch" they were "definitely" going to recommend that permanent emergency care must be maintained at the James Paget (JPH) and the Queen Elizabeth (QEH) - and the county's biggest hospital, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Brett said there was more work to do on surgery provision but that "the vast majority of surgical cases will be delivered on all three sites" with more procedures carried out in the community in future.

The NHS Alliance has said up to 20 small maternity units should close in order to improve standards of care.

Both the QEH and JPH currently have fewer than 2,000 babies being born at their maternity units each year.

A report shared with stakeholders at the QEH showed that 50% of those births were planned caesarean sections.

"It means the number of normal vaginal deliveries is only going to be one or two per day, which is a very small number to maintain skills and competencies if something unexpected does occur," said Brett.

Dr Rob Sherwin, group chief medical officer for NWHG, said the clinical strategy being developed was examining issues like falling birth rates and the county's ageing population.

He said: "We want to provide as much care as possible locally or closer to home, while ensuring patients who need specialist care can access the right expertise when they need it.

"Any proposals that might arise for significant service changes would be subject to the appropriate scrutiny, engagement and consultation before any decisions are made."

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