Councillors in West Lancashire have raised concerns over plans to relocate children’s emergency services from Ormskirk to Southport.
West Lancashire Borough Council said it is considering further action following proposals to move paediatric emergency care from Ormskirk and District General Hospital to Southport and Formby District General Hospital.
Currently, emergency care services for adults and children are provided across the two sites.
In March, NHS plans to consolidate children’s emergency care at Southport were approved by a joint committee of local health boards, according to council papers.
The decision has been criticised by some local representatives. West Lancashire MP Ashley Dalton said she was ‘really disappointed’ by the plans.
‘It’s a worry for people about how they are going to be able to access services,’ she said. ‘There’s also a deep rooted fear that it is part of a long tradition of undermining services in West Lancashire.
‘The area feels pretty much forgotten and left behind, and people are really fearful about what this might lead to in the future.’
Councillors have questioned how the decision was reached, including how consultation options were designed, how the public consultation was carried out, and whether sufficient weight was given to feedback from health scrutiny panels.
As a result, the local authority has agreed to write to the joint committee responsible for the decision, which brings together the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board and the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
It has also said it may consider further steps, including call-ins, supporting other challenges, complaints, appeals or even legal action if necessary.
Neil Eccles, director of planning, economy and wellbeing, said: ‘Health and wellbeing is a key priority for the council, so scrutinising the processes undertaken to reach this decision is crucial to ensure full transparency for our residents.
‘I will write to the NHS Joint Committee to formally set out the concerns raised by members and share this with other relevant parties like scrutiny bodies and members of parliament.
‘The council can consider its next steps once a response has been received.’
Image: Myriam Zilles/UnSplash
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