The comment in the Hunts Post – 16 Nov – that the Merger is ‘Best Option’ for the future of Hinchingbrooke Hospital is not the ‘Best Option’ for Hinchingbrooke Hospital as far as our campaign group is concerned.
First of all we need to correct the assumption that it is a merger – it is not – it is now formally an acquisition.
It is very clear to our campaign group that this is a ‘Done Deal’ and that the Boards of both Hinchingbrooke and Peterborough and Stamford Foundation Hospital Trust have used so called ‘Consultation Meetings’ as a box ticking exercise.
Our campaign group know that we can do nothing to stop this acquisition and unless a miracle occurs it will go ahead on 1 April 2017.
What will this mean for Hinchingbrooke Hospital? Well for a start it is estimated that between the two trusts 170 staff – mainly support staff will lose employment. It will mean that all the assets of Hinchingbrooke will come under the control of the new trust, and all finances that would previously have come to Hinchingbrooke will also go to the new trust.
So NO – we don’t think it is the ‘best option’ It is our view that external conditions have been imposed on both Boards to ensure this happens and by 1 April 2017, otherwise this date makes no sense.
If the New Health Campus at Hinchingbrooke gets built then any ‘profits’ that previously would have gone to Hinchingbrooke will now go to the new Trust – based in Peterborough. Had this acquisition not gone ahead any profits made could have been used to sustain, develop and promote services at Hinchingbrooke Hospital as well as clearing any budget deficits going forward.
If, as seems likely this acquisition will go ahead, then our campaign group will then focus on ensuring that appropriate funding continues to come to Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
We urge residents of our three major towns and associated villages to join our campaign group to ensure Hinchingbrooke is not allowed to ‘Wither on the vine’ through funding starvation.