Save South Tyneside Hospital
Save South Tyneside Hospital
Latest: Sept. 18, 2019
SSTHC Granted Permission to Appeal to High Court
Great news - we have been granted permission to appeal. The Judge "accepts that the appeal is properly arguable and has a real prospect of success." The court has also granted our req…
Read moreSave our local hospital services
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign Group (‘the campaign group’) is seeking to raise funds to support our campaign in relation to the proposed cuts and reconfiguration of the following hospital services at South Tyneside Hospital :
- Children and young people’s healthcare (urgent and emergency paediatrics) services
- Stroke care services
- Maternity (obstetrics) and women’s healthcare (gynaecology) services
We are concerned that there are real flaws in the proposed changes and the changes could lead to losing our local hospital services. More information about the proposed changes to services and details about the campaign group can be found on our website:
https://www.savesouthtynesidehospital.org/news/?a=*
Forcing the people of South Tyneside to go to Sunderland for hospital services could involve travelling over 30/40 minutes or over 1 hour at peak times. Travelling by public transport could involve 2 or 3 buses or metro/train journeys changes. The extra travel time could risk lives of children and patients. Families would have to travel much further to visit sick relatives.
Who we are?
A link to our website is https://www.savesouthtynesidehospital.org/news/?a=*
We’re ordinary people from South Tyneside who want to save our local hospital services so that it can provide vital services to its community and meet the needs of vulnerable groups in our area. We launched the campaign in May 2016 and so far we have led campaign marches locally and nationally, held rallies and public meetings. Our local MPs, Emma Lewell-Buck and Stephen Hepburn are supportive of our campaign work.
We continue campaigning to date, holding regular meetings for members of the campaign and wider community to attend. We need your support to raise our legal costs to challenge this closure.
What are we doing?
With help from specialist public lawyers at Irwin Mitchell we are challenging the legality of the decision to remove some vital local hospital services at South Tyneside Hospital.
This is a huge challenge but if we work together we believe that we can help to Save South Tyneside Hospital. This is a david and goliath situation –the NHS have already engaged lawyers and consultants to advise on the proposed changes.
The changes are likely to be introduced very soon and therefore we need to act quickly. Some changes are already being made and we will obtain advice about whether the changes have been made lawfully.
What We Need
We have set a starter fundraising target of £5,000 to cover legal costs to:
- Provide initial advice on the prospects of a judicial review after reviewing the voluminous documents.
- Engage in correspondence with the relevant CCGs and NHS Trusts to obtain disclosure of relevant documents and confirm that no changes will be made until a proper legal process has been completed.
- Analyse responses received from the relevant CCGs and NHS Trusts and obtain advice on our rights and the merits of a legal challenge.
PLEASE:
- Donate what you can; every penny helps!
- Share this page with friends, family and social media networks.
What do we want?
The community campaign group is working with public law solicitors at the law firm Irwin Mitchell, in order to investigate potential serious legal flaws about the way which the clinical service review and consultation was conducted. We are working with Irwin Mitchell to assess whether we can bring a public law challenge to the proposed changes, by way of judicial review proceedings.
What’s happened so far?
South Tyneside NHS FT and City Hospitals Sunderland NHS FT conducted a review which led to a public consultation which closed on 15 October 2017 and the results are currently awaited. A draft report of the NHS Trusts is expected in December 2017.
The public consultation included the following options with regards to the change to services at South Tyneside Hospital:
Urgent and emergency paediatrics
At present both urgent and emergency paediatric services are offered at South Tyneside and Sunderland. Both options given in public consultation propose the removal of a 24 hour paediatric emergency department in South Tyneside. The proposals are to replace this with either a limited paediatric emergency department at South Tyneside (only open from 8am – 8pm) or for the development of a nurse-led minor injury service (again, only open 8am – 8pm). The provision of 24 hour emergency paediatric services would relocate to Sunderland.
Stroke Services
At the present, a full range of stroke services including emergency treatment and specialist stroke nurse practitioners were offered in both South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital (All acute stroke services were temporarily moved to Sunderland in December 2016 pending the outcome of the consultation). Three options were put to public consultation, all of which involve moving all hyperacute and acute stroke care to Sunderland Royal Hospital. Two of the three options provide for patients to be transferred back to South Tyneside Hospital for in-hospital rehabilitation either three or seven days after initial admission.
Maternity & Gynaecology
At present South Tyneside residents can access maternity and woman’s healthcare services at South Tyneside Hospital (Service temporarily paused by the Trust from December 4 2017). This includes a Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and emergency and major planned gynaecological surgery at South Tyneside. Two options were contained within the public consultation, both of which include moving the SCBU service to Sunderland Royal Hospital. One option provides for the development of a free-standing midwifery led unit at South Tyneside Hospital for certain births.
Why do we want to challenge these cuts and changes to NHS services?
We want to save our local NHS hospital services.
We think that the process undertaken up to the public consultation was flawed and that, as a result, the results of the public consultation cannot be relied upon. The campaign feels strongly that the proposals for change would be to the detriment of the population of South Tyneside.
Parents are worried that they will not have a appropriate local NHS hospital service to treat sick and disabled children or an appropriate NHS hospital maternity unit.
We do not believe that the clinical service review included all of the relevant senior staff and consultants involved in the relevant services, from both South Tyneside and Sunderland. We therefore do not accept that the options posed in the public consultation were based on a proper clinical service review. In addition, we do not accept that the transport report can be relied upon; the North East Ambulance Service has yet to comment upon how they will meet the needs of local people should the NHS services above be transferred to Sunderland.
NOTE:Should it transpire there are no grounds to proceed to Judicial Review, in accordance with Crowd Justice's Terms and Conditions, we will donate any unused funds to another similar legal challenge, via Crowd Justice or the Access to Justice Foundation.
Thank you from the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign Group!
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Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
Sept. 18, 2019
SSTHC Granted Permission to Appeal to High Court
Great news - we have been granted permission to appeal. The Judge "accepts that the appeal is properly arguable and has a real prospect of success." The court has also granted our request for expedition - (speedy hearing date). The hearing date (time estimate 1 day) is on either November 5 or 6 2019. The case will be heard by 2 or 3 Lord Justices in the Court of Appeal in London.
I know that the delay of 8 months by the previous judge that ruled against us is desperately disappointing for you all because most Phase 1 services have now moved but believe us any victory on this could still have positive consequences for both this phase 1 and phase 2 in our favour if we win as well as inspiration for all fighting to save their vital health services in other areas.
SSTHC website: http://www.savesouthtynesidehospital.org/
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
Dec. 22, 2018
Judical Review Decision on Phase 1 Consultation
On December 21 2018, the case of Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign (SSTHC) was lost at the Judicial Review at Leeds High Court. The Judge did not uphold our case that the consultation was unlawful and should be set aside.
We had an initial meeting with our legal team afterwards. The judgement will not be handed down until around January 7th and then they will further advise us on any next step we want to take.
In speaking to the CCG following the case we said that they should even now think again about downgrading these services. The Judge had mentioned the strength of "genuine" concern on the value of these present services in his summing up.
In our statements to the press we said we would carefully consider the options carefully and we have not ruled out an appeal.
SSTHC will continue to meet to discuss how to take its work forward. The people of South Tyneside like everyone have a right to these vital health services we will continue to resist the downgrading of the hospital and to turn this situation around either now or in the future.
We would like to thank every one for the support they have given to our case and we will keep you updated on future developments.
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
Dec. 4, 2018
Battle to save our hospital services will be in court this December
Just to update all who have contributed to our Crowd Justice Fund the hearing is to be held this December in Leeds. The three services included in the public consultation were: urgent and emergency paediatrics, stroke services and maternity and women’s healthcare.
Public Law Experts at Irwin Mitchell is instructed to bring a major legal challenge NHS managers’ decision to move Maternity, Womens Healthcare, Paediatric and Stroke services away from South Tyneside and the case is to be heard at Leeds Administrative Court over three days December 18,19 and 20.
Many from the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign will be attending the hearing and more details can be found on our website if you want to know what is going on:
http://www.savesouthtynesidehospital.org/
Can we thank you all because without your support we would not have been able to raise the funds necessary to launch this vital challenge and take our fight into the court to save our vital hospital services. We will keep you updated following the hearing.
Contact details are on our website if you want to know more.
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
Aug. 21, 2018
Green Light For Judicial Review In Fight To Save Local Tyneside NHS
Just to update all who have contributed to our Crowd Justice Fund. Some great news from our solicitor that the case has been granted permission to proceed to Judicial review on our case on Phase 1 and on all 6 grounds.
Public Law Experts at Irwin Mitchell instructed to bring a major legal challenge NHS managers’ decision to move Maternity, Womens Healthcare, Paediatric and Stroke services away from South Tyneside under challenge.
Lawyers acting for a local campaign group have been given the green light to pursue their legal challenge against NHS Sunderland CCG and NHS South Tyneside CCG as they continue the fight to save South Tyneside Hospital.
Law firm Irwin Mitchell had previously written to NHS Sunderland CCG and NHS South Tyneside CCG urging them to overturn the decision to move Maternity, Womens Healthcare, Paediatric and Stroke services away from South Tyneside, or potentially face a judicial review in the High Court.
Now, the High Court has confirmed that Irwin Mitchell, acting on behalf of the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign Group, can proceed with its legal action after the two CCGs did not agree to reverse their decision.
Granting permission, His Honour Judge Saffman said he believed the grounds put forward by lawyers at Irwin Mitchell were ‘sufficiently arguable such as to justify the granting of permission.’
The three services included in the public consultation were: urgent and emergency paediatrics, stroke services and maternity and women’s healthcare.
No date has yet been set for the hearing, following the approval of the judicial review application.
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
July 31, 2018
We have hit our stretched target of £15,000 - Well done to all!
Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to our Crowd Justice fund and absolutely great we have now reached our stretch target of £15000 in no small part to Ed, Gareth, cast and crew of the Laffalang gang whose enabled us to put on over £4,200 to reach our present target. As you will recall this was to pay for the experts that are advising our case. We will keep you all updated how the case proceeds but meanwhile check out our website as well for more information.
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
June 12, 2018
We now need to stretch our appeal to £15,000 to fight the downgrading
We now need to stretch our appeal to £15,000 to fight the downgrading of our Maternity, 24/7 Consultant led Children's A&E, the loss of the Special Care Baby Unit and loss of hospital stroke services - here's why. Our solicitors have lodged our case and counsel is advising that they need to obtain expert evidence to give us the best chance of success. They say we will have the funds for the majority of the experts, but we will have to fund some of it. We thank people for their wonderful support but we need to continue support for this case and the campaign is being supported by local events, including the famous Laffalang to help fund this case. So, thank to so many people who are coming to the aid of keeping such vital services at our hospital.
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
May 26, 2018
Lawyers Issue High Court Judicial Review Application In Battle To Save Local Hos
The Judicial Review Application has now been lodged on May 18. The Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign (SSTHC) had instructed specialist lawyers Irwin to Mitchell to apply for a judicial review against NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS South Tyneside CCG. The preparatory work has been done and we believe there are grounds for a judicial review of the decision taken. We thanks people for their wonderful support but we need to continue support for this case to reach our funding targets to save our 24/7 Consultant-led children's A&E, our full consultant-led maternity services, Special Care Baby Unit and Hospital stroke services.
Yogi Amin, Partner at Irwin Mitchell said: “Following our instruction by the South Tyneside Hospital Campaign Group, we believe there are grounds for a judicial review of the decision taken by NHS managers at South Tyneside CCG and NHS Sunderland CCG on 21 February, and have issued proceeding at court.”
Helen Smith, Solicitor sad: “This is obviously a very important issue and one which affects thousands of people’s access to much needed, potentially life-saving local NHS hospital services. This is why it is crucial that any decision made in respect of those services, is made correctly and lawfully.
“The legal challenge raises questions around the decisions taken by the CCGs because of a potentially flawed consultation process which breached the principles of procedural fairness and decisions made on the basis of potential flaws in the transport analysis. Our clients believe the proposals to transfer the NHS services to Sunderland were based on a flawed assessment of the impact on patients and the criteria to assess the cost of this was also flawed.”
A big thanks those who have made contributions large, and small that we have received to this Crowd Justice page. Immediately we need to reach our stretch target of £10,000. Please keep the contributions coming and contact and email friends and family we are nearly there!
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
March 15, 2018
Thanks for all the support but help us to reach our target of £10,000
On Friday March 9th the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee opposed the downgrading of our hospitals services and referred the matter to the Secretary of State. This has been a tremendous boost to our campaign.
However we have not won this battle yet and this means more than ever we need to
support our solicitors and our legal counsel advising us in preparing a case for a Judicial
Review. Please help the campaign to save these services and reach its target of £10,000.
Top TV comedian Chris Ramsey has offered his support for our campaign to save South
Tyneside Hospital where he and his family were born. Chris, 31, from South Shields who
still lives in the area, tweeted about the importance of the hospital in his life among fears
that some services could be lost. After the decision in February 21st to downgrade
Maternity, Children's A&E and stroke Chris tweeted: “I’ve sprained ankles, broken toes, my
baby son bumped his head, came out in a rash after eating eggs... he was born there, my
wife was born there, I was born there, and my Dad was looked after impeccably there for a
recent cancer scare."
“Please please PLEASE @SaveSTHospital!”
Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
Feb. 20, 2018
We Need to Now Stretch Our Crowd Justice Fund to £10,000.
We will be incurring further costs of the legal investigation into the
lawfulness of the consultation as solicitors have had to update on the
latest moves on the temporary closure of the Special Care Baby Unit and
Maternity, and the case as a whole has moved onto a stage of getting a
barrister's advice. To this effect our solicitors have already issued a
letter to the CCGs stating that any decision they make on Wednesday 21st
February 2018 on the basis of this consultation will be unlawful.
Please help the campaign to save these services reach its new target of
£10,000
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