Calls have been made to restore Children’s A&E services to Southport Hospital through unanimous backing by councillors on all parties on Sefton Council.
Southport Hospital controversially lost children’s A&E services to Ormskirk 21 years ago, despite over 26,000 local people calling for the life-saving services to remain.
At last night’s full Sefton Council meeting at Southport Town Hall, motions were put forward by Mike Prendergast (Conservative), John Pugh (Lib Dem) and Ian Moncur (Labour) calling for change.
It follows an extensive public consultation earlier this year by the NHS in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire about the future of local urgent and emergency services.
People were asked to share their views as part of the Shaping Care Together programme, which aims to deliver the care people need, today and in the future.
Last night, Sefton’s councillors responded by agreeing to:
- support longstanding calls for the reinstatement of 24 hour Children’s A&E Services at Southport Hospital, removed in 2003, and for those to be fully integrated with adult emergency care provision.
- To write to the Members of Parliament for Southport and Sefton Central commending them for their ongoing support on this matter.
- To write to the Chair of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board calling for the reinstatement of 24 hour Children’s A&E Services at Southport Hospital, integrated with adult emergency care provision, and for adequate capital funding to be made available to provide investment in Southport Hospital.
Sefton Labour councillor Peter Harvey said: “It was a welcome moment of unity by Sefton’s councillors – calling for the reinstatement of 24-hour children’s A&E in Southport after 21 years, and commending Bill Esterson and Patrick Hurley for their ongoing support.”
Southport Labour Councillor Laura Lunn-Bates said: “Southport Deserves 24-Hour Children’s A&E
“On Thursday night, I seconded an amendment from Cllr Ian Moncur to a motion calling for the restoration of 24-hour children’s A&E services in Southport, and I’m proud to say it was a moment of unity for all Sefton’s councillors.”
Sefton Conservative Leader Cllr Mike Prendergast said: “Since 2003, Southport has not had a dedicated Children’s A&E Service. The nearest service is based in Ormskirk which closes between the hours of midnight and 8 am.
“During those hours, the nearest Children’s A&E Services are based in Liverpool, around a 45 minute journey from Southport.
“For a town of over 90,000 people, it is unacceptable that families have to travel so far to receive emergency care for their children.
“Southport needs, and local residents and families deserve to have, a 24 hour Children’s A&E Service fully integrated with adult emergency care services in our town.
Sefton Lib Dem Leader Cllr John Pugh said: “Pressure is mounting for a return of Children’s A & E to Southport calling for children to be treated and triaged at the hospital in Kew.
“This is the best chance for years of bringing about the change that Southport residents have been calling for for almost a quarter of a century.
“There are two clear reasons for hope.
“There is strong political unity amongst local politicians on the need for change and secondly there is an ongoing review by the NHS of local emergency services.
“The NHS would not be consulting if they weren’t considering change.” https://www.cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk/get-involved/current-consultations-and-engagements/local-nhs-wants-your-views-to-help-shape-urgent-and-emergency-care-services-for-the-future/
“ In the past no matter what the popular will, health service chiefs have been able to snuff out any prospect of a return of NHS Children Services to Southport and governments have left the decision to them.
“They have argued that it would not be safe to treat and triage children at Southport without full paediatric support, but that case has weakened with the Ormskirk Children’s Casualty department being reduced to a daytime service.
“There seems no reason why Southport A&E with proper support from Alder Hey cannot function like every other A&E department in the country and admit children.
“Most injuries to children are minor and to force anxious Southport parents to take the tortuous route by car to Ormskirk for basic reassurance has never made a lot of sense. Hopefully the new crop of NHS chiefs are ready for a re-think.”
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