MP to attend Health Joint Board Meeting
25th January 2012
Harriett Baldwin today announced that she will attend a health meeting on Friday where plans to review health services in Worcestershire will be launched.
The MP also noted concerns from the Commons’ Health Select Committee report over the ongoing pressure of productivity savings being found in the health service.
Harriett has been a long-time campaigner for increased health services delivered through the three community hospitals - Malvern, Pershore and Tenbury in her constituency.
The review, due to be started on Friday (January 27), will assess the service configuration offered by the hospitals across the county as well as identifying potential productivity savings.
Harriett commented: “My constituents really value the local services that are delivered through the three excellent community hospitals in my constituency and they enjoy high satisfaction with our local NHS.
“There is often a need to travel further afield for more specialist services, so I was delighted when it was announced that a new radiology unit will be based at the Worcester Royal site. This will reduce the travel times for my constituents who suffer from cancer, who currently go to Cheltenham, Wolverhampton or Coventry.
“However, I appreciate that there are space constraints at Worcester Royal, so I understand that clinical professionals will be looking at ways to use the resources they have in the most effective way. Also, people are living longer, drug treatments are more widely available and they are more expensive than they were.
“I welcome this review but also echo the concerns raised by the Select Committee about finding the right sort of productivity in the right way, and this thorough local review by clinicians will help to inform this process.
"I’d also repeat my commitment to the important job our community hospitals do in the county. They do an amazing job and I hope that they can be more used as part of the solution.”
