Arrowe Park hospital Park Suite decision delay delights campaigners

Jan 6 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

Arrowe Park hospital

HOSPITAL chiefs have deferred the proposed closure of Arrowe Park’s private Park Suite.

The unit was due to close early this year because of reduced demand but Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has now agreed to campaigners’ demands for a consultation.

It now says it will “explore all options” and has set up a special team to look at the future of private healthcare at Arrowe Park Hospital.

Chief executive Len Richards said it would also look at how the Park Suite’s financial contribution to NHS services could be improved.

Terry Smith, of Hoylake, who has been leading the Save the Park Suite campaign, said he was delighted but questioned the Trust’s decision to use senior clinicians to assess the future of the unit.

He told the News: “We put it to the hospital that, really, they were rushing it a bit. There should have been time for consultation.

“We have achieved what we wanted by getting it postponed but that is only the start.

“Now the campaign really gets under way and we need to make sure it stays open.

“But I do think there should be some outside influence in the team, not just clinicians.”