Plans announced to sell off part of hospital (From Haringey Independent)
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Plans announced to sell off part of Whittington Hospital site
5:28pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News By Bruce Thain
Up to half a hospital which serves people in Haringey will be sold following a decision earlier this week.
The Whittington Hospital, in Magdala Avenue, will have inpatient wards units for woman’s health closed and the maternity unit scaled back as part of a cost cutting measure.
NHS staff accommodation, including flats for nurses and social workers will now also be closed as six NHS-owned blocks in the site are sold off.
The Whittington Health Trust Board announced its new estates strategy earlier this week as part of plans to save £4.8million by March before submitting an application to become an academy.
MP for Tottenham David Lammycalled the decision "extraordinary".
He said: "There has been no effort to engage the North London community on this issue, even though the changes severely impact upon the ability of the hospital to cater for the diverse needs of the area around it.
“The cuts to maternity provision are particularly horrifying. The maternity services at the Whittington are treasured and valued by anyone that has had the privilege of using it.
“I was born here, my two sons were both born here and it is difficult to imagine where else we could have gone.
He added: “Residents in Tottenham and across North London will want assurances that the local services that they’ve relied on for years aren’t now coming to an end.”
As spokeswoman for the Whittington Health Trust said that over the next five years there will be investment of £10 million on maternity services, £2.9 million on a new assessment centre for those who do not require hospital admission and £1.9 million investment in a new education centre.
Trust chief executive Dr Yi Mien Koh said: “The estates strategy plans to modernise the infrastructure to ensure care is provided in modern, state of the art premises."
He added: “The Trust Board is committed to ensuring that Whittington Health continues to provide outstanding care and patient experience to our patients, service users and local communities.”
