Pressure is mounting for a return of Children’s A & E to Southport

Pressure is mounting for a return of Children’s A & E to Southport with two motions being debated on Thursday by Sefton calling for children to be treated and triaged at the hospital in Kew.

Liberal Democrat, Cllr. John Pugh,who is presenting one of the proposals believes that 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,” he says. “There is strong political unity amongst local politicians on the need for change and secondly there is an on going 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/ 

Cllr. Pugh though points out that any decision though will not be made by elected politicians ,but by a body that hardly anyone knows about- the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. 

“ 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”, says Cllr Pugh. “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 day time 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. “