The New Hospital For The North Bristol/South Gloucestershire Area
Letter from Westminster: Doug Naysmith’s column for the Observer (North Bristol and South Gloucestershire editions)
I was shocked to read that there is to be a challenge to the decision to build the new acute hospital for the north Bristol/ South Gloucestershire area at Southmead. It should not degenerate into a contest between whether the supporters of Southmead or Frenchay shout the louder. That is no way to plan for our health care.
When I discussed the matter with John Reid, the Secretary of State for Health, I was assured that the decision would be taken locally – not in Whitehall. Despite what has been claimed, there was extensive local consultation throughout the whole area that will be affected, unlike the party political survey conducted in one constituency. As I expected, Southmead was chosen because it is clearly the better site.
Opponents of Southmead usually neglect to mention the new community health facilities planned for Southmead, Frenchay, Yate and Thornbury. South Gloucestershire is not being short-changed, as people who live near Southmead in Filton or Patchway know. In any case, people do not necessarily go to the nearer hospital, but the one which can deal with their particular problem. The new Community Hospitals will have facilities to deal with minor accidents and injuries, outpatient clinics, x-rays and other services. Most people will be treated in a new hospital close to where they live and would only have to go to the major hospital when they need the services of expert teams of consultants.
The people of Bristol and the surrounding area have often suffered because local politicians do not want to make decisions. The fiasco of the tram was a case in point. While arguments went on over the route, our chance for a decent transport system was lost. What worries me now is that the people of Bristol and South Gloucestershire will have to wait even longer for their new hospitals, while spurious arguments are put up for political reasons. We do not need more enquiries, more arguments, more political flag-waving. We need all the new Community Hospitals and we need the new acute hospital at Southmead.
