Request
Please could you
provide me with the names and locations of NHS hospital units
within the boundaries of NHS East Midlands Strategic Health
Authority that have closed since 1997, along with their date of
closure. The list should ideally include, but not necessarily be
limited to: the closure or downgrading of Type 1 A&E
departments; the closure of maternity and other specialist care
units; the removal of any other major service from an acute
hospital; and the wholesale closure of an acute, psychiatric or
other specialist hospital.
If information
cannot be provided since 1997, I would be very grateful for any
records you have relating to the above. Whilst I appreciate the
information may not be collated, I anticipate it would nonetheless
be a matter of record, given that the decision-making
responsibility for such closures rests with SHAs.
*************************************************
Our Response
Thank you for
your email asking NHS East Midlands to provide a list of the names
and locations of NHS hospital units within the East Midlands region
that have closed since 1997.
I can confirm in
accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 that
we do not hold the information that you have
requested.
The role of NHS
East Midlands is to relay and explain national policy, set
direction and support and develop all East Midlands NHS Trust
bodies such as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and NHS Trusts providing
acute, mental health and ambulance services. As I am sure you
are aware, PCTs are responsible for the day-to-day management of
health services for their local communities and for making
decisions about how those services are delivered, in accordance
with the needs of their local populations.
NHS East Midlands
does not therefore hold the detailed information that you have
asked for. Since 1997 there have been numerous organisational
changes within the NHS in the East Midlands meaning that some
organisations that existed in 1997, are no longer configured in the
same way as now.
Please note that
the closure or reconfiguration of a particular NHS organisation or
hospital unit does not necessarily mean that a service is
unavailable to patients, but rather that the way care is provided,
has changed. Advances in the provision of services now mean that an
increasing amount of health care is now provided to patients at
home or within the community rather than within a hospital
environment.
You can of course
contact our constituent organisations via the link below as they
might be able to provide you with further assistance.
http://www.eastmidlands.nhs.uk/the-local-nhs/nhs-organisations
I do hope that
this information is of use to you. However, please note that
if you are dissatisfied with the way in which we have dealt with
your request you can complain in writing to:-
Mr Kevin
Orford
Deputy Chief
Executive and Director of Finance
NHS East
Midlands
Octavia
House
Interchange
Business Park
Bostock's
Lane
Sandiacre
Nottingham
NG10
5QG
If at the
conclusion of any review you remain dissatisfied you may complain
to the Information Commissioner who can be contacted
at:-
The Office of the
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe
House
Water
Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9
5AF
