Lynne Featherstone

Word reaches me from the Council of Governors’ of the Whittington who met on 13 January (not from a Governor – just before anyone begins a witch hunt).

According to the record of the meeting  – North Central London NHS (the sector we belong to) and the Whittington have now ruled out the Whittington A&E being reduced in hours to 16 per day. In black and white it says: “This leaves options where either the full A&E is retained or there will be no A&E at all. The Whittington might then have an Urgent Care Centre.”

Reading the words in italic above from the record of the Governors’ meeting – why is it I feel that the North London Central NHS will be pushing for the Urgent Care Centre.

If that is such a brilliant solution – let them have the courage of their convictions and put both options to us – the people!

Well – the public consultation is in the Autumn or later – and I am sure we local people all want the option that retains a 24/7 A&E at the Whittington to be in that consultation – and we want that consultation to be for those who use the Whittington. They are the ones who need to be heard in this debate – local people, the patients and the relatives – not the rest of the sector, not the managers, not the CEOs or Medical Directors – but us!

Our challenge is to make sure that option comes forward and that consultation actually means that we have a choice and that the outcome of the consultation reflects our views.