When Hereford Labour Party campaigned at the end of 2017/start of 2018 against the closure of Hillside (Hillside reopening, Hereford Times, June 18) we predicted that these beds were required.
Far from being a cost-saving measure (as reported) the clinical commissioning group (CCG), with whom I met as part of the campaign, assured us that the ‘savings’ would be reinvested in such things as buying more GP hours and to paying for more district nurses (HT, November 16, 2017).
The CCG did wish to redeploy the NHS staff based at Hillside to the hospital.
The CCG told me at my meeting with them that they intended reviewing all community NHS provision on an area-by-area basis and were considering reviewing the need for the community hospitals.
They would consider ‘reserving’ beds in the private sector when rehabilitation at home was not considered possible.
Thankfully, this does not seem to have come to pass and I welcome the belated re-opening of Hillside with the same number of beds as when it closed.
While it is nice to feel vindicated, it is far more important to see this valuable service restored for the people of Herefordshire.
Anna Coda
Peterchurch
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