Packed meeting hears proposals for Teddington Memorial Hospital (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Packed meeting hears proposals for Teddington Memorial Hospital

10:30am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Richmond News By Paul Teed

Doctors and supporters of Teddington Memorial Hospital have proposed a business plan to run it as a social enterprise.

The League of Friends of Teddington Memorial Hospital and general practitioners from the area presented the idea at a public meeting to a packed audience, which included Twickenham MP Vince Cable.

They said they were becoming increasingly concerned about its future as Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, applies to become a foundation trust in 2014.

They were worried Teddington Memorial Hospital would become embedded in the trust’s structure and they would lose control of how it is run.

Richard Tyler, chief executive of Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust, said he was saddened by the campaigners’ proposals.

He said: “I would like to reassure the local community that the hospital is not at threat. Teddington Memorial Hospital is a much-loved community asset and an important part of our future plans.

“We are proud of our staff and the high quality services we provide from the hospital. The local NHS has invested £13m in the hospital in the past eight years and we want to continue this investment in the hospital in the coming years.”

He said the friends’ proposals would remove the hospital from the NHS, which has run it since 1948, and would not provide it with any obvious safeguards. NHS rules and regulations would ensure it could not make any major changes without consultation, he added.

Mr Tyler said: “I am saddened and disappointed at the stance taken by the League of Friends and some GPs but remain committed to working with them to find a solution.”

The friends group held the second public meeting about the hospital’s future at Teddington Baptist Church on Thursday, February 2.

It claimed the new foundation trust would have a small budget and could merge with others if it does not remain viable, weakening Teddington Memorial Hospital’s connection to the community.

Dr Graham Lewis, representing general practitioners from Twickenham, Teddington and Hampton, outlined their clinical strategy.

Zac Arif, adviser to the friends group, said the social enterprise model would make it a not-for-profit organisation.

Staff, general practitioners from the area and the community would be its stakeholders and would have a voice in its management.

The model would reduce bureaucracy and offer better value for money, reinvesting savings back into the hospital, he said.