Accident and Emergency services across Dorset are under threat as finance is prioritised over people’s health.
HALF of all our A&Es are to be permanently downgraded or closed, under new plans from NHS England chief Simon Stevens.
The plan is known as STP*, but it might as well be called the Hospital Closure Plan. Of the 140 full A&E hospitals we have now, only 40-70 will remain once the STP is done.
The aim isn’t to create specialised centres, but to cut costs. The STP divides the NHS into 44 areas and demands that each area put all NHS cash into one pot and wipe out all their debts within a year. Non-PFI hospitals are likely to close so that PFI endebted hospitals can continue to pay off their Wonga-style loans. STP doesn’t care whether centres of excellence are closed. It’s all about the money.
The NHA is committed to exposing the STP Hospital Closure Plan. We are working with other health campaigns. Together we have launched a petition on 38Degrees. Please sign it and share this post widely.
Petition: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/…/stop-the-plans-to-dismantle-…
Further reading: https://opendemocracy.net/…/hunt-and-stevens-leaving-their-…
*You won’t have heard of STP (Sustainability and Transformation Plans) because each of the 44 areas is giving their local plan a different name, such as ‘fit for the future’ or ‘healthier together’. But we promise you, every hospital will be affected.
