NHS consultation on community-based health services closes
Over 5,000 local people, staff and stakeholders provided detailed and constructive feedback about the proposals affecting:
- the location of rehabilitation services in local community hospitals including Cumberlege Intermediate Care Centre and Brentwood Community Hospital
- the location of a freestanding midwife-led birthing unit and
- the possibility of moving all patient services at St Peter’s Hospital, Maldon
More than 5,200 online survey responses have already been collected with hundreds more paper copies of the survey to follow. Feedback from 15 events that took place in person and online has also been logged.
The feedback received will now be analysed by an independent research agency, who will produce a report for NHS Mid and South Essex. A draft report will be published on the consultation webpage in the coming months. Feedback from the consultation, along with a wide range of evidence and information, will be used to develop a ‘decision-making business case’ for consideration by the NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board.
Dr Matt Sweeting, Executive Medical Director for NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), said, “Thank you to everyone who has taken part in this important consultation. We are grateful to staff, stakeholders and local people who took the time to share their views with us. It is so important that we understand what you all think of these proposals and the possible impact implementing them. We have commissioned an organisation to independently evaluate responses, and we will carefully consider all the feedback before making a decision about how to proceed.’
A decision-making meeting, held in public, is due to take place in July 2024. Further details will be published on the NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board website . In the meantime, no decisions have been taken on the proposed changes.
For more information about the consultation, including information about when final responses will be accepted as part of a consultation closure procedure, visit virtualviews.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/changes-to-services