What most of you won’t know as they are very good at hiding the facts through their ‘secretisation’ program, is that the Tories in Northumberland are hell bent on privatising all services in both the Council and its NHS partners.
The former LibDem now Independent Councillor for Rothbury , Steven Bridgett has brought this next matter to the attention of Northumberland’s residents and we are only too happy to assist him in reaching a wider audience.
Thanks Steven.
Contact your local Councillor to let them know about this and how it might affect you.
’Physiotherapy
Services in Northumberland’.
I wanted to update residents who might not be aware of the fact that the Physiotherapy Services in Northumberland are being privatised.
Sorry! Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group's preferred word: "Partnership".
The new 'service' will see up to a 50% reduction of existing staff and the reduction/removal of services in places like Rothbury, Wooler, Belford, Berwick, Alnwick, Amble, Morpeth and Ashington.
I have already received correspondence from some residents, telling me that patients who would usually receive physiotherapy in Rothbury, are being 'encouraged' to access the services in other places such as Alnwick.
Sound familiar?!
It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that many of the people who access this service are elderly and given the poor and very unreliable public transport service to Alnwick, it makes accessing the service, for them, that little bit more difficult.
The new service will see the removal of the Hartford unit, which has developed into a first class service for the rehab of patients post orthopaedic surgery.
The worst thing about this whole process though is the fact that the Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group has clearly learnt nothing from the damning report by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel for the Secretary of State for Health, into their failure to properly consult on the removal of the beds at Rothbury Hospital and hasn't even bothered to formally consult with residents on what is a removal of part of the service and a significant reduction in staffing levels.
"As part of the procurement process, the CCG carried out a period of engagement to provide patients and GPs with an opportunity to comment on how the new service should be designed."
Do you remember seeing anything as part of this 'engagement' period?
I have requested that the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the council, investigate the reduction in service and if it is their view that the CCG has once again failed to formally consult on the matter, they can refer the matter to the Secretary of State and the Independent Reconfiguration Panel.’
