Calls to investigate healthcare in South Gloucestershire

Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors on South Gloucestershire Council have been successful in calling for an investigation on why the planned Cossham Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) has not been delivered and why the fully equipped Cossham Birth Centre is no longer consistently available for pregnant mums.  As well as this they will also be scrutinising the lack of MIU provision across South Gloucestershire and questioning if this is leading to increased pressure on acute Accident and Emergency services.

At the meeting of the Health Scrutiny committee on Nov 23rd Cllr Andrea Reid, (Lab, Kingswood), and Cllr Ruth Davis, (LibDem, Yate Central), successfully proposed that a group of councillors be set up to scrutinise why original plans to open community hospitals across South Gloucestershire on sites such as Cossham, Frenchay and Thornbury were abandoned and ask the Integrated Health Board to reconsider in the light of the ongoing health challenges faced by residents and the substantial increases in population in the area.

Cllr Andrea Reid says:

“20 years ago the Bristol Health Services Plan (BHSP) established that South Gloucestershire needed Community Hospitals and Minor Injuries Units (MIU) in Thornbury, Yate, Frenchay and Cossham.  Following the change of government in 2010 only Yate MIU was built, Frenchay Hospital was closed and the roll out of the BHSP was cancelled. 

"Evidence in the Council’s own Masterplan shows the life expectancy of residents in Kingswood, the number of people who’re disabled, and the number of people aged 75 and over are all significantly above the South Glos average.  Meanwhile Yate MIU is 6 miles away from Kingswood, and Southmead Hospital is 5 miles away.  20 years on, we believe there is an urgent need to deliver an MIU at Cossham and also review the provision of NHS hospital services across our region more generally as well.”

Cllr Ruth Davis stated:

“Residents are saying they’re having problems accessing services. The lack of other sites leaves us with just one Minor Injuries Unit. Residents phone up and are told to go to Yate – when they get there Yate is oversubscribed, with a sign saying sorry we can’t take any more patients. Then they have to travel on again to either Southmead or even Bath! For many people travelling to Yate is virtually impossible unless you have a car. This situation has got to change.

"Bristol had a Health Services plan drawn up 20 years ago – of centralised acute services and community hospitals in places such as Thornbury, Frenchay and Cossham. This well drawn up plan was abandoned with no good explanation of how the identified need for hospital services would be met.  With the growth of Bristol and the surrounding areas it’s time for the region to have another review of our health service provision– caring for the needs of all its residents and bearing in mind the significant travel issues faced by many.”

Image Credit: Graham West