§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what forms of transport will be available to people currently treated at Davenham Hospital, and their visitors, to alternative places of treatment in the event of the hospital being closed; what is the estimated annual cost of such transport; and by whom it will be borne.
§ Dr. OwenUnless special transport facilities were considered necessary, public transport services would continue as at present. The cost, which would be borne by patients and their visitors, would depend on the future pattern of hospital services, on the passengers' places of residence, and on the extent to which they used private transport.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual cost of: (a) the maternity services and (b) the geriatric services at Davenham Hospital.
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§ Dr. OwenIn 1975–76 the costs at Davenham Hospital were £99,788 for maternity services and £69,646 for geriatric services.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why no member of the Cheshire Area Health Authority was present at the public meeting held by Crewe Community Health Council on 22nd June at the Memorial Hall, Northwich, to discuss the proposed closure of Davenham Hospital.
§ Dr. OwenAt the date of the Crewe Community Health Council's meeting on 22nd June, the Cheshire Area Health Authority had neither prepared its consultative documents nor commenced formal consultations about the proposed closure of Davenham Hospital.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the closure of Davenham Hospital would result in all maternity cases currently treated there being referred to a consultant unit.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the seven lay members of the Cheshire Area Health Authority working party which recommended the closure of Davenham Hospital did not include a representative from Mid-Cheshire.
§ Dr. OwenFive lay members and two medical members of the Cheshire Area Health Authority were present when the recommendation to close Davenham Hospital was proposed. Members of area health authorities are not appointed on the basis of local representation.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what views were expressed on the proposed closure of Davenham Hospital at the public meeting held by the Crewe Community Health Council at Northwich Memorial Hall on 22nd June 1976.
§ Dr. OwenThe following summary is derived from Crewe Community Health Council's document reference CHC(6/76) 29.
225WFrom the speakers, four main points or areas of concern became clear. Firstly, the level of services in mid-Cheshire had fallen over the past few years and the closure of Davenham Hospital would seriously add to this.
Secondly, the concentration of maternity services at Leighton and the closure of geriatric accommodation would increase problems of travelling. Whilst many families owned a car, it was not always available for mothers to travel to Leighton. Public transport to Arclid Hospital was very expensive especially for those living on a pension, the return fare from Northwich being £1.54.
Thirdly, the meeting laid great emphasis on the care of both maternity and geriatric patients locally, near to their homes, by local people. It was felt that there was a need for the more personal attention achieved at Davenham. Leighton Hospital was felt to be very impersonal.
Fourthly, with regard to the general practitioner maternity service, the closure of Davenham Hospital would mean that all cases would be referred to a consultant unit. There was objection to this infringment of the right of the mother to choose between a consultant or her own general practitioner supervising her confinement. It was proposed from the floor that Davenham Hospital be kept open both as a maternity unit and as a geriatric hospital. With only two votes against, this motion was accepted by the meeting.