Press statement

Co-ordinator: Marna Blundy, 4 Botallack Moor, St Just, PENZANCE, Cornwall TR19 7QH
Tel / Fax 01736 788107
Email: westcornwallhealthwatch@yahoo.co.uk

PRESS STATEMENT 14th December 2001

In their Christmas message, members of have urged the local community to continue its support of West Cornwall Hospital. The group, which has been campaigning tirelessly for over eighteen months to retain emergency and life-saving treatment and admissions at the hospital in Penzance, will redouble its efforts in the New Year when the long-awaited and twice-postponed "service models" will be announced. Meanwhile in its statement the group emphasizes the vitally important role played by the local hospital and pays tribute to its staff:

"There may be some in the Cornish health community who would like to minimise the work done at West Cornwall Hospital. We would therefore like to flag up the considerable and excellent work being carried out there daily by its staff.

Various documents refer to the Royal Cornwall Hospital and the community hospitals. West Cornwall Hospital is neither of these, but is its own unique smaller acute hospital
The authorities insist that West Cornwall Hospital does not have an Accident and Emergency Department. However, the road signs at the approach to Penzance suggest otherwise. Furthermore, for the several days of each week when WCH is on divert for emergency admissions because Treliske is full, WCH is most certainly functioning as an admitting A&E
The recent edition of "Health Matters" (December 2001) almost left WCH out of the equation when it described what to do if seeking medical treatment. A one-line comment about its 24-hour Casualty run by nursing staff at night and listed under the "Simple injury" section hardly does justice to all that WCH offers
We cannot help wondering why there seems to be a concerted effort to "play down" the importance of WCH. Cynics would be forgiven for thinking that the decision to downgrade WCH has already been made, the Review prejudged, and that these latest statements are simply a softening-up process to prepare the public for a reduction in emergency services in the Spring"

HealthWatch also makes reference to the proposition passed at a recent Community Health Council meeting in St Austell. By an overwhelming majority, members have supported Duncan Thurnell-Read (Hayle) who stated that the 380,000 population served by the RCHT required more than one full A&E Department to meet their needs, and acknowledging that Treliske could not cope with the numbers. Spokeswoman Marna Blundy said: "We first warned back in 1999 that Cornwall should not 'put all its eggs in one basket' at Treliske. It is gratifying that this is now being acknowledged by the CHC, and we appreciate the stand they have made. West Cornwall Hospital, if given the resources to do the job properly, is certain capable of delivering a first-class service - both elective and emergency, medical and surgical - to the 150,000 residents in the west of the county. All that is currently lacking is the will of the decision-makers to let it happen. We therefore call on them to put WCH back on the map and let it take up its rightful place within the NHS."

Marna Blundy