South Tyneside care shake-up set for government referral

Protesters have previously marched in opposition to the plans

Plans for a shake-up of maternity, children's and stroke care in South Tyneside and Sunderland will be referred to the government.

Health bosses approved the changes in February, saying they were necessary to maintain patient safety.

They would see a reduction in services at South Tyneside District Hospital with all acute stroke services based at Sunderland from 2019.

However, councillors said a number of concerns have not been addressed.

Worries over the safety of children needing out-of-hours care, transport for pregnant women and the ability of Sunderland Royal Hospital to cope with an increase in patients have been raised by members of the South Tyneside and Sunderland Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC).

The group has agreed to formally notify the Department of Health and Social Care, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

At South Shields Town Hall, South Tyneside councillor Pat Hay said the committee wanted "safe and viable options".

Addressing South Tyneside and Sunderland's clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), she added: "We've been contacted by senior clinicians, nursing staff and midwives [with concerns] and don't at all get what you're saying."

'Downgrading'

In response, South Tyneside CCG's director of operations Matt Brown said: "We've sought, where we could, to keep things local and I do understand the concern.

"People want to have the best service they possibly can locally and we've tried to do that."

Health chiefs have pointed to difficulties recruiting staff and financial issues.

The proposed changes would also see a midwifery-led birthing centre operate at South Tyneside with the hospital's special care baby unit closing.

All "high-risk" deliveries would be admitted to a consultant-run department at Sunderland.

A nurse-led paediatric minor injury and illness facility would run at South Tyneside between 08:00 and 22:00 with a round-the-clock emergency paediatric department at Sunderland.

Campaigners have called the proposed changes a "downgrading" of services.