Local campaigns

A picture of health?

Update: July 2009

Find the latest NHS fact sheet on this campaign at the bottom of this page

Consultation Meetings:
Mon 27 July 13:00 - 16:00 Avon Mouth House, 6 Avon Mouth Street, London SE1 6NX
Tuesday 28 July 18:00 - 20:00 Forum at Greenwich, Trafalgar Road, SE10 9EQ

Visit www.apictureofhealth.nhs.uk to apply to attend the consultation meetings, or email info@health-link.org.uk. Please give any dietary or childcare needs when contacting.

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A picture of health: a consultation on changes to healthcare in the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham is a major public consultation on how healthcare services will be organised in our area.  The consultation process began in January 2008 and together with the Bexley and Bromley and Chislehurst branches, and the help of the NCT Head Office campaigns team we have been lobbying to ensure that the changes will mean an improvement in maternity and newborn services for families in the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham.

The consultation offered three options: on July 21, the decision was taken that Option 2 would be pursued.  In principle, this involved:

• Closure of birthing and neonatal services at Queen Mary's Sidcup
• Expansion of the facilities at Queen Elizabeth Woolwich
• Expansion the facilities at Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington
• Retention of birthing and neonatal services at University Hospital Lewisham.

However, there was one important change, which was that the primary care trusts (PCTs) that commissioned the consultation have agreed to consider the possibility of a stand alone midwife led unit at Queen Mary's.  This is a direct result of arguments put forward by NCT branches and professional organisations such the Royal College of Midwives.

What do we think?

There are some very positive features to the proposals.  For example, a commitment is given to increasing the rate of home births and to setting up midwife-led units, and to increase doctor's staffing levels.

However, we're still concerned that concentrating services into two bigger units, may not improve women's birth experiences or help midwife staffing levels.  We are therefore continuing to lobby on this and other points.

What next?

Consultations of this kind are subject to scrutiny by a statutory committee, made up of local councillors, called the JHOSC.  They are responsible for monitoring whether the consultation has been properly conducted and whether it is in the interests of local people.  If they don't believe that this is the case, they can refer the consultation to the Secretary of State for Health.

We appeared in front of the JHOSC on 24 July to put forward some of our concerns in this area, and feel we received a good hearing.  In early September, the JHOSC voted to refer the proposals to the Secretary of State for Health, as they did not believe that some of the proposals, such as the fact that Bexley would be left without a maternity unit, were in the interests of local people.

A copy of the branch's response is attached below.  Copies have also been sent to local MPs and to councillors involved in the consultation. 

If you would like to know more about this campaign, or would like to get involved, please email lewishamnctchair@googlemail.com