Loss of some rural hospital services 'temporary'

NHS bosses have said services withdrawn from two rural hospitals were only temporary, despite concerns of "neglect" in the region.

Endoscopy services were moved from North Cambridgeshire Hospital in Wisbech to King's Lynn in Norfolk after "serious concerns" were flagged.

Health chiefs said the decision was made "on the grounds of patient safety".

Doddington Hospital has seen breast surgery, dermatology and ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinics withdrawn or temporarily suspended due to staffing issues.

Representatives from two trusts – the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust and North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust – were questioned at Cambridgeshire County Council's heath scrutiny committee on Thursday.

A report presented to the committee said Fenland residents experienced some of the "highest levels of deprivation, health inequality and transport-related barriers to accessing healthcare in the East of England".

They said "no permanent decisions" had been made on the endoscopy unit, but there were plans to reintroduce ENT services at Doddington within the next six months.

Dr Haq Nawaz, of Fenland District Council, said he was "quite surprised" they were still looking at population needs assessments.

The Conservative councillor said: "Fenland has been there for decades, or maybe centuries, but for us to leave it that late… I don't want to use this word particularly, but I can't think of an alternative – and that is neglect. Fenland has seen relative neglect."

Health bosses rejected claims that these service changes were cuts, and said: "It doesn't necessarily mean that the service has been cut, it may mean that they've been provided but just in a different location."

They added that population needs assessments are done "periodically" and not "in anticipation of a single service being changed".

Alex Bulat, who represents St Ives South and Needingworth, said that even if services were provided at other locations like King's Lynn or Hinchingbrooke, residents may not be able to access them.

The Labour councillor said: "The issue is if you can't access that service anymore, for you as a patient it's a cut – because you can't get there anymore."

Dr Nawaz asked them if they could confirm or deny reports that the A&E and maternity wards at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn could shut.

They said: "There are no plans to temporarily close anything at the moment."

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