Getting Behind Shotley Bridge Hospital
I was delighted to be at a recent Bridgehill Residents Association and hear the most upbeat report I have recently heard in many a year about possible developments at Shotley Bridge Community Hospital.
There wasn’t much specific to report yet, but I sensed something of a change of mood which chimed in with some of the conversations I have had with medical professionals and administrators.
Being realistic we are not going to get back the General Hospital we had, but there seems to be an increasing recognition that there is a valuable resource in Shotley Bridge, capable of delivering more services that it curently does.
It’s to the credit to our district council that it has put money up to support the day surgery unit when it was most threatened, and has provided some budget to support ongoing promotion of the hospital and exploration of new opportunities. It has also set up the “Supporting Shotley Bridge Hospital” group to feed into the “STAKEHOLDER STEERING GROUP”.
This is a really important group which meets with senior executives from the NHS Trusts, representatives from both district and county councils, and hospital staff at all levels as well as local GPs. The more strength the group has, the greater its voice, so I urge anyone interested to join. The easiest way for internet savvy readers of this website to do it is by emailing k.earley@derwentside.gov.uk
You can also just turn up to the next meeting which is ay 6.00 p.m. on September 10th in the restauraunt of Shotley Bridge Hospital restaurant. It will be addressed br Dr John Levick, a local GP who is also chair of the Derwentside Primary Care Group. It should be well worth going to.
Sadly for me, councillors are excluded for the moment.
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Is it not a bit strange that councillors are excluded? Regardless of ones political views, councillors are NHS users too and I think it’s unfair that anyone is excluded from this kind of meeting.