Graham Stuart MP has today written to the Chair of East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group, Dr Gina Palumbo, to call for its urgent care consultation to be withdrawn - warning it is unfit for purpose. He wants to see it redesigned and launched with a survey containing questions that are:
(a) are not phrased in a leading manner; and
(b) allow people to express their view on all the changes under consideration.
Graham’s concerns arise because the response survey to the consultation does not allow people to offer their views on either the decision to close the MIUs in Hornsea, Withernsea and Driffield or the withdrawal of community beds from Withernsea Hospital. Instead, the public only get to choose between a narrow range of options selected by the CCG, with the closures presented as a done deal. Questions are also written in a way that prompts certain answers, rather than being presented neutrally.
He says, “My constituents feel they are being manipulated so that if they express a preference for any of the options that are included in the consultation response this can be presented as an endorsement of the closure of the other MIUs.”
His call comes the day after Holderness GPs called for the consultation to be halted in light of concerns about the impact on their patients and the failure to address concerns about the long journeys local people will face to get help.
In his letter Graham also calls for CCG Chief Executive Jane Hawkard to attend a public meeting one evening in Withernsea to address residents’ concerns there. The CCG’s drop in event in the town, attended by Ms Hawkard last week, took place during a weekday afternoon when many residents could not attend – and some of those who did have told Graham they do not feel their concerns were addressed properly.
