The Isle of Wight’s MP, Bob Seely, has responded to the news that the Isle of Wight NHS Trust is to merge with Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust all but in name.
As first reported by Island Echo yesterday (Tuesday), the Isle of Wight NHS Trust has announced a major change in what is being called a ‘partnership’ with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust. It will see the 2 trusts share a Chief Executive, Executive team and clinical leadership team.
Commenting on the announcement, Bob Seely has said that this week’s announcement paves the way for more reforms later this year.
In a statement, Mr Seely said late on Tuesday:
“I spoke to Darren Cattell earlier and welcome this news.
“We’re making reforms to the NHS to ensure that it can deliver the healthcare services the Island, and the country, needs. Above all, that means making sure that NHS services on the Island are sustainable so that as many people as possible can be offered high quality NHS care on the Isle of Wight. To that end, we brought in new laws last year to make this happen.
“What’s critical for patients and NHS staff alike is to develop a more integrated approach to healthcare. We’re going to see a more joined-up approach, with adult social services, the NHS, GPs and pharmacies working closely together, on the Island, and nationally.
“Today’s announcement paves the way for more reforms later this year.
Article continues below this advertisement “The IW NHS and Portsmouth already have a partnership arrangement to make sure clinical services on the Island are supported and this builds on that”.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust will retain its current identity – for now.
On paper these ideas seem to be a good idea, but we have seen this many times before. It starts of well with good intentions but people loose vision of the dynamic of people living on the Island. On paper Portsmouth offers a better ED it is only a few miles away, and the fines people will face if they miss the early morning appointment to get across the Solent. This is a bad deal for the Island, good deal for Portsmouth as they get more funding.
Reforms, what a joke, regression into the dark ages more like. Sausage Bob needs to go and quickly.
Reforms means cuts and privatisation. Tories can’t stand anything they can’t make money out of. Greed is their core value.
half-sausage seely would welcome anything that his paymasters tell him to
So utilising another management structure and getting rid of our own (and of course shedding island jobs) is a good thing is it Sausage Man?
Making our island hospital larger would be a better improvement
Here we go .. More BS from BS