22.06.1995

Hospital red alert

THERE IS a smell over South Durham at the moment - and it is not from either the cement works in Weardale or the Chamberlain Phipps factory in Bishop Auckland. It emanates from the would-be Cedric Browns who are anticipating feeding in the troughs of bank notes that materialise from the reorganisation of the Durham hospitals. The reorganisation, which entails closing the accident and emergency unit in Bishop Auckland, is supposedly only a proposal at the moment, although the comments of some Labour MPs appear to indicate that it may be past that stage.

Leading figures from the so-called trusts, agencies and health committees, etc are all giving their views as to how the reorganisation will benefit local people. It has been proposed that the development of Bishop Hospital should be partially funded by private capital - no doubt supplemented by grants from public funds. This market economy policy must be resisted as a recipe for even more directive salvos at the expense of patient care.

With some health trusts spending up to 10% of their budget on managers’ pay and perks, one can only conclude it is the managers, directors and chairmen themselves who will benefit.

No one in their right senses is against progress to a more efficient healthcare system, but it must be based on the needs of healthworkers and the people as a whole, not these leeches, sucking at the already limited resources of our hospitals.

If the people of Durham are to protect their hospitals, they will most certainly have to get involved in the struggle themselves.

Ted Rowlands