PRESS STATEMENT 28 May 2001

In response to the statement made last week by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority regarding the Review of Services at West Cornwall Hospital, has responded to its "estimated" and "revised" figures.

Spokesman Joe McKenna says:
"We were horrified to learn that the future of West Cornwall Hospital was apparently being decided, until our intervention, on estimated figures. The enormous variation in population figures being quoted gives us grave cause for concern - depending upon who you speak to, West Cornwall Hospital has a catchment of anything between 80,000 and 152,000 people! With such discussion over figures, it is clear that this Review of Services is being numbers-led, which flies in the face of the Prime Minister's express promise that the new NHS would be needs-led.

In addition, we seek clarification on two points - standards and status. What exactly are the national standards referred to by the Health Authority. Who set them? And when were they nationally implemented? And secondly, we must ask again about the definition of the term "acute status". This has in the past meant "crisis, emergency, arising suddenly". Now however we understand that health managers are using the term differently, and this is causing confusion in the minds of the public. We therefore call upon the Health Authority to give us a clear, if revised, definition of what "acute" means to them today. Furthermore, if the population figures were just "guesstimates", what other guesses and assumptions are being made by those in charge of the Review?"

Spokesman Joe McKenna continued:
"With reference to the statement issued last week by the Health Authority - "The Review has also to keep in mind the needs of the whole population of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and the effect that any changes in the West might have" - we in would point out that the proposed downgrading of Penzance's A&E Department will give Cornwall the unique distinction of being the only county in Britain having just one hospital with an A&E Department which even now can't cope. Even our neighbours in Devon have four A&E Departments to choose from! Add to that this county's narrow peninsularity, its distinctive geography and demography, its 3.5 million visitors a year (most of whom visit Lands End), and all the other factors often quoted. It is therefore clear that to reduce the ability of West Cornwall Hospital to care for the emergency needs of West Cornwall would be utter madness, and in breach of the Government's guidelines: "services will be available when people require them, tailored to their needs."

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