Fears for the closure of Thame Community Hospital ‘by stealth’

SUPPORTERS of Thame’s Community Hospital are pleading with the local NHS Trust for more transparency and more public consultation about plans to close beds and run a pilot scheme for alternative uses of the building.

Thame Hospital – Image Copyright Thame.Net

Retired GP, Ken Burch, President of the Hospital’s League of Friends, told Thame.Net: “We have just learned that Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is about to enter into staff consultations on a pilot project for Thame Community Hospital. This pilot consists of closing the few remaining beds in the Hospital, retaining some of the current day care services and possibly trying out new, unspecified services.

“Because it is structured as a pilot study, or trial, the Trust does not believe that it has to put the proposals out to general public consultation. We fear that this could be the first step in the closure of Thame Community Hospital by stealth, and urge the Trust to clarify its proposals and disseminate their details more widely.”

It is common knowledge that the current eight beds at the hospital are being used mainly to relieve ‘bed blocking’ at Stoke Mandeville, Tring, Wycombe, Winslow and other places and not seen as serving the local community.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust were approached for a response but were unable to comment at short notice. A spokesperson for the Trust however, did say that it had held several engagement sessions with local people about the future of the services it has responsibility for, including proposed Community Hubs.  She asked that attention be drawn to the Trust’s website: LINK HERE