Council set to have say on under threat local children's ward

9.52.27am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 29th Sep 2006

Sheffield Children's Hospital

Sheffields Liberal Democrats are set to bring the campaign against the proposal to close a local children's ward to the council chamber next week. Lib Dems have submitted a motion that calls on the Sheffields Children's NHS Foundation Trust board to drop their proposal to close the S2 ward.

The move comes just days after health bosses delayed the decision to close the ward until next month. If the current proposal is accepted next month then the specialist S2 ward will see a reduction in capacity and eventually closure in September 2007. Lib Dems oppose the plans which have been brought about by the Labour Government insisting on 'almost impossible savings' and ill-thought through constant reform.

The Lib Dem motion also raises concerns over the planned cuts across Sheffields local health service. The total amount of cuts announced currently stands at over £135m.

Lib Dems believe the cuts will have a detrimental effect to local patients. They are calling on the Government to put doctors and nurses at the heart of health care decision making rather than accountants ordered in by Whitehall.

Councillor Ian Auckland, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Health, said: -

"Although the trust board have delayed shutting the ward down, the proposal as it stands includes closure next year. As the representatives of the people of Sheffield it's vital that the council stands up for the good of local patient care and opposes the proposal"

"However, this is just the tip of a £135m iceberg of cuts within Sheffields local NHS. Labour Government policy has brought about this financial crisis by forcing through an almost impossible amount of savings and ill-thought through constant reform"

"Its important the council defends our local NHS and stands up to the Government on this fundamental issue. We want to see doctors and nurses at the heart health care healthcare decision making rather than accountants ordered in by Whitehall"

NoM moved by Cllr Auckland, seconded by Cllr Scriven

That this Council: -

(a) believes that a high quality publicly funded health service, free at the point of need, is one of this country's proudest achievements;

(b) notes that Sheffield's local NHS delivers a high quality service to the citizens of Sheffield and therefore thanks all local NHS employees for their hard work within a challenging environment;

(c) notes with concern that the present Government is forcing Sheffield's local NHS to find an almost impossible amount of savings over the next three years; including

(1) £90m in acute health services;

(2) £9m within the Children's Hospital;

(3) £35m within Sheffields PCTs;

(4) £2.5m in Sheffields Care Trust;

(d) believes that these financially led cuts will undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on health and social care provision in Sheffield including greater financial pressures on the council's adult services;

(e) supports all those who took part in the recent protest against the closure of the S2 ward in Sheffield Children's Hospital;

(f) does not support the proposal to close the S2 ward at Sheffields Children's Hospital, which is financially led and driven by central Government policy;

(g) therefore calls on Sheffields Children's NHS Foundation Trust board to drop their proposal to close the S2 ward next year;

(h) believes that the NHS should be protected against the constant unnecessary and unhelpful reform and the front-line service cuts brought about by the present Government's policy, both on a local and national level;

(i) therefore calls on the present Government to adopt a new health policy which embraces the principles of decentralisation, democratic accountability and closer working between primary care and social services whilst putting doctors and nurses at the heart of healthcare decision making rather than accountants ordered in by Whitehall;

(j) directs that a copy of this motion is Secretary to Secretry of State for Health, all Sheffield MP's, local Health Trade Union representatives and the Chief Executives of all Sheffield's NHS bodies.