Cent Health District produce a bulThi called Brent Goose to explain to the public what is happening to the Health Service locally. The September issue includes a special supplement which tries to convince people that 'plans for reshaping some of the health services aim to produce savings which will be put to work to build a better service'. Unfortunately, ments don't quite coincide with information which is sent out to local doctors. Compare the following:
1(a) Brent Goose: *It is being proposed that care of patients is concentrated in three centres, to provide more beds and bette treatment' (our emphasis).
(b) Brent District Committee minutes of 14 July 1976: The District Administrator informed the Committee that 'this in effect would mean a reduction of 200 acute medical and surgical beds which would have to oc usca more erecuve v naving a niger , bed occupancy and possibly a shorter length of stay' (our emphasis).
2(a) Brent Goose: Wembley Hospital out-patient services would continue and so wour tue accident and emergency service Central Middlesex Hospital would remain the District General Hospital."
(b) Brent Health District circular to GPs, dated 19 August 1976: As from 6 p.m. on Friday 20 August the Accident Department at Central Middlesex Hospital (CH) will be closed cach weekend irom o p.m. rnaay until 9 a.m. the following Monday. The Departments at Wembley and Willesden General will be open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for self-referred cases only. To put it another way, only one nospital our or unree is now taking accidents and emergencies and you can't have an accident over the weekend!
3(a) Brent Goose: "The Willesden General Hospital accident and emergency sel vice would make way for Willesden Chest (b) Brent Health District circular dated 19 August 1976: *It has been found necessary lo rcauce me numoer or ray sessions al the Willesden Chest Clinic. This action is due to une present nnancial situation witnin the District.' This in a Borough with a higher than average incidence of TB.
Because of the present financial situa tion', cuts are taking place throughout the — one or the most densely populated in London. Administrative staff costs have already been cut by 5 per cent, with a further reduction of 5 or possibly 10 per cent anticipated. As well as affecting the cervice this chunndly mann the weekend. Willesden General Hospital is to close as a general hospital and St. Monica's, a hospital for old people, is also closing. Leamington Park will now be transferred to North Hammersmith Health District and Brent patients will be transferred to CMH - presumably to the 200 - beds which have The local Community Health Council have so far led a very limited campaign against these cuts. The recent sit-in at CME in protest al ine autorites rerusal lo employ six foreign student nurses (who have two months' grace while their resig nation comes through, and if they can't find jobs may have to leave Britain) is an example of action which can begin to have a real errect. This must be coupled with support for the national campaign being developed by the NCC, especially the lobby of the Labour Party Conference