This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39031546
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Hospital cuts planned in most of England | Hospital cuts planned in most of England |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hospital services in nearly two-thirds of England could be cut or scaled back, BBC analysis of local plans shows. | Hospital services in nearly two-thirds of England could be cut or scaled back, BBC analysis of local plans shows. |
| The proposals have been made by NHS bosses as part of a national programme to transform the health service and save money across 44 different areas. | |
| The BBC found 28 affect hospital care, from full closures to centralising services such as accident and emergency and stroke care on fewer sites. | |
| Ministers argue patients will receive better care in the community. | Ministers argue patients will receive better care in the community. |
| Alongside cuts to hospital care, the proposals include the creation of "super" community hubs of GPs, care workers and district nurses, seven-day access to GPs and getting hospital specialists to run clinics in the community. | |
| But the King's Fund think tank, which has also carried out its own review, warned a lack of investment meant these ideas were not always credible. | But the King's Fund think tank, which has also carried out its own review, warned a lack of investment meant these ideas were not always credible. |
| The government is investing more money in the health service, but a fund set up to pay for changing services has been used to tackle NHS deficits, figures released on Monday showed. | |
| The BBC analysis found: | |
| The King's Fund went on to warn that community services in many areas were already "feeling the strain" and could not cope with an increase in workload. | |
| And the think tank said further reductions in the number of hospital beds could de-stabilise services that were already "stretched to their limits" following the difficult winter. | And the think tank said further reductions in the number of hospital beds could de-stabilise services that were already "stretched to their limits" following the difficult winter. |
| Need help finding out which region you are in? See the map at the foot of the page. | Need help finding out which region you are in? See the map at the foot of the page. |
| The proposals - known as sustainability and transformation plans - have been drawn up as part of NHS England's five-year strategy to release £22bn of efficiency savings by 2020. | The proposals - known as sustainability and transformation plans - have been drawn up as part of NHS England's five-year strategy to release £22bn of efficiency savings by 2020. |
| Reviews were set up in early 2016 and consultations on major changes will take place later this year with the hope implementation will follow soon after. | Reviews were set up in early 2016 and consultations on major changes will take place later this year with the hope implementation will follow soon after. |
| But the King's Fund warned the changes could be subject to legal challenges. | But the King's Fund warned the changes could be subject to legal challenges. |
| How closing hospital services can be good | How closing hospital services can be good |
| Stroke care in London is now world class - and it is all because some services were shut down. | Stroke care in London is now world class - and it is all because some services were shut down. |
| The capital's stroke care was overhauled in early 2010. Instead of being spread across 30 hospitals as they used to be, services are now centralised on eight "super sites". | The capital's stroke care was overhauled in early 2010. Instead of being spread across 30 hospitals as they used to be, services are now centralised on eight "super sites". |
| It has meant patients get fast, 24-hour access to the best care, saving hundreds of lives a year. | It has meant patients get fast, 24-hour access to the best care, saving hundreds of lives a year. |
| If a stroke is suspected, a patient is immediately taken to one of the eight centres. There they are assessed by a stroke specialist and given a brain scan within 30 minutes of arrival. | If a stroke is suspected, a patient is immediately taken to one of the eight centres. There they are assessed by a stroke specialist and given a brain scan within 30 minutes of arrival. |
| However, Prof Chris Ham, the think tank's chief executive, said they were still the "best hope of delivering essential reforms" in the NHS, as care needed to be moved out of hospital. | However, Prof Chris Ham, the think tank's chief executive, said they were still the "best hope of delivering essential reforms" in the NHS, as care needed to be moved out of hospital. |
| This is seen as vital because the ageing population and growth in long-term conditions such as dementia and heart disease mean people are more likely to benefit from support in the community to stay well rather than inpatient hospital care when their health deteriorates. | This is seen as vital because the ageing population and growth in long-term conditions such as dementia and heart disease mean people are more likely to benefit from support in the community to stay well rather than inpatient hospital care when their health deteriorates. |
| 'Sustainable change' | 'Sustainable change' |
| But Prof Ham said this could not be done without extra funding - and urged the government to find the money to invest in the services to enable transformation to happen. | But Prof Ham said this could not be done without extra funding - and urged the government to find the money to invest in the services to enable transformation to happen. |
| A £1.8bn pot set aside this year for funding transformation has been used to shore up NHS trust finances as they struggle to balance their books. | A £1.8bn pot set aside this year for funding transformation has been used to shore up NHS trust finances as they struggle to balance their books. |
| "Local plans must be considered on their merits, but where a convincing case for change has been made, ministers and local politicians should back NHS leaders," Prof Ham said. | "Local plans must be considered on their merits, but where a convincing case for change has been made, ministers and local politicians should back NHS leaders," Prof Ham said. |
| A Department of Health spokesman maintained the extra money was being invested in the NHS this Parliament gave the health service enough funds to change the way it worked. | A Department of Health spokesman maintained the extra money was being invested in the NHS this Parliament gave the health service enough funds to change the way it worked. |
| "These NHS plans - developed by local doctors, hospitals and councils working together with the communities they serve - will help patients get better care," he added. | "These NHS plans - developed by local doctors, hospitals and councils working together with the communities they serve - will help patients get better care," he added. |
| And a spokeswoman for NHS England said current plans offered the best hope of improving patient care in a sustainable way. | And a spokeswoman for NHS England said current plans offered the best hope of improving patient care in a sustainable way. |
| "They will allow the NHS to take advantage of new technologies, adopt successful practice more widely, and make practical improvements in areas that we know matter most to patients," she added. | "They will allow the NHS to take advantage of new technologies, adopt successful practice more widely, and make practical improvements in areas that we know matter most to patients," she added. |
| "These proposals are all about putting collaboration at the heart of our care system, with health and local government working more closely together than at any time since the NHS was created. Everyone in the NHS wants help to ensure we can all get excellent care whenever we need it." | "These proposals are all about putting collaboration at the heart of our care system, with health and local government working more closely together than at any time since the NHS was created. Everyone in the NHS wants help to ensure we can all get excellent care whenever we need it." |
| Read more from Nick | Read more from Nick |
| Follow Nick on Twitter | Follow Nick on Twitter |
| 1. Northumberland, Tyne and Wear | 1. Northumberland, Tyne and Wear |
| 2. West, North and East Cumbria | 2. West, North and East Cumbria |
| 3. Durham, Darlington, Tees, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby | 3. Durham, Darlington, Tees, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby |
| 4. Lancashire and South Cumbria | 4. Lancashire and South Cumbria |
| 5. West Yorkshire | 5. West Yorkshire |
| 6. Coast, Humber and Vale | 6. Coast, Humber and Vale |
| 7. Greater Manchester | 7. Greater Manchester |
| 8. Cheshire and Merseyside | 8. Cheshire and Merseyside |
| 9. South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw | 9. South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw |
| 10. Staffordshire | 10. Staffordshire |
| 11. Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin | 11. Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin |
| 12. Derbyshire | 12. Derbyshire |
| 13. Lincolnshire | 13. Lincolnshire |
| 14. Nottinghamshire | 14. Nottinghamshire |
| 15. Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | 15. Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland |
| 16. The Black Country | 16. The Black Country |
| 17. Birmingham and Solihull | 17. Birmingham and Solihull |
| 18. Coventry and Warwickshire | 18. Coventry and Warwickshire |
| 19. Herefordshire and Worcestershire | 19. Herefordshire and Worcestershire |
| 20. Northamptonshire | 20. Northamptonshire |
| 21. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | 21. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough |
| 22. Norfolk and Waveney | 22. Norfolk and Waveney |
| 23. Suffolk and North East Essex | 23. Suffolk and North East Essex |
| 24. Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Luton | 24. Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Luton |
| 25. Hertfordshire and West Essex | 25. Hertfordshire and West Essex |
| 26. Mid and South Essex | 26. Mid and South Essex |
| 27. North West London | 27. North West London |
| 28. North Central London | 28. North Central London |
| 29. North East London | 29. North East London |
| 30. South East London | 30. South East London |
| 31. South West London | 31. South West London |
| 32. Kent and Medway | 32. Kent and Medway |
| 33. Sussex and East Surrey | 33. Sussex and East Surrey |
| 34. Frimley Health | 34. Frimley Health |
| 35. Surrey Heartlands | 35. Surrey Heartlands |
| 36. Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | 36. Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly |
| 37. Devon | 37. Devon |
| 38. Somerset | 38. Somerset |
| 39. Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire | 39. Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire |
| 40. Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire | 40. Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire |
| 41. Dorset | 41. Dorset |
| 42. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight | 42. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight |
| 43. Gloucestershire | 43. Gloucestershire |
| 44. Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West | 44. Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West |