Author: Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA)

Residents Association covering central and northern Beckenham. Founded in 1939 to protect and promote the interests of residents in matters of local concern

Update on the Beckenham Beacon and other NHS services

Office of the Trust Special Administrator –  Clarification for Beckenham

After making enquiries about the future of the Beacon, the Office of the Trust Special Administrator (TSA)  contacted our Association to issue an official clarification to their draft recommendations regarding services in Beckenham.  Most importantly it advises that the Beacon will not close. The South London Healthcare Trust (SLHT) will no longer provide services at the Beacon and Bromley CCG will decide what services are to be provided there in the future. Please find a link to the clarification and other reports below.

NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group (Bromley CCG, also currently known as Bromley PCT) and the Beacon

We invited Dr Collins (Director of Health Care System Reform) to attend our joint public meeting with West Beckenham Residents’ Association (attended by 100 residents, Councillors, London Assembly Member, Bob Stewart, MP and Jim Dowd, MP) on 7 Nov 2012 to find out what Bromley CCG intends to do at the Beacon if and when the SLHT pull out.
Mr Collins advised that currently his organisation commissions care at the Beacon. The Bromley CCG currently contract the SLHT to provide most of the services available at the Beacon.  If the SLHT pulls out of the site then Bromley CCG will need to find another provider for the services.  Mr Collins stated that he did not expect that one day the SLHT would just pull out completely and services stop, but that there would be a transition period.  He also advised that he did not expect services at the Beacon to be dropped, however he did note that the way some services are currently provided may change.  Our MP, Bob Stewart, pressed Mr Collins on this point and Mr Collins affirmed that the Beacon would not lose services, but that there may also be an opportunity to  increase services offered at the Beacon, particularly because the SLHT  has been under-using 45% of the space. The idea of Intermediate Care Beds being provided was raised, and Mr Collins said it could be considered as there was a review about such services coming up.
However, with no firm proposals or commitment to what will be provided at the Beacon in the future it is difficult for residents to comment on the TSA’s consultation. Below is a link to a list (taken from the Beacon website) of all the services currently provided by SLHT at the Beacon. As well as making further suggestions to add to this list, there are many questions we should be raising, for instance, should the TSA be ensuring the future of services at the Beacon,  rather than just recommending the SLHT pull out?

BEACON – services provided by SLHT

Future of the Princess Royal Hospital (PRU)

The TSA recommends that the PRU go into partnership with Kings College Hospital (a well respected hospital). However, if this is not possible the running of the PRU will go out to tender.  Jim Dowd, MP (Lewisham West), spoke to the TSA about this and it appears that Kings College Hospital will get first refusal on running the PRU. If they do not wish to take it on, then someone else will need to be found.  The TSA’s recommendations do not seem to safeguard health services provided out of the PRU,  they merely seem to recommend two options for offloading it from the SLHT. Do we need further assurances about the future of the PRU and the services it provides?

Lewisham Hospital

The TSA advise that when Lewisham’s A&E is closed the majority of patients can still be seen at Lewisham’s Urgent Care Centre.  If you need an A&E is the PRU close enough? If not you may wish to join the campaign to keep Lewisham A&E open, see below.  Do not forget to mention Lewisham A&E when you respond to the TSA consultation.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/lewisham-hospital/

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41027

What residents should do

  1. Share this information with your neighbours, friends and family affected.  Not everyone has internet access, why not invite them in to show them the documents, and  help/encourage them to respond to the consultation online or by snail mail. The SLHT going into administration is causing the biggest shake up of healthcare provision in South London for decades, it’s important we all have our say.
  2. Respond the the TSA consultation by 13 December 2012. Not sure what to say… Our MP Bob Stewart suggested  that residents should just tell the TSA what they want. What healthcare services do you want at The Beacon, The PRU and Lewisham Hospital? What concerns do you have? Responses to the consultation do not need to be more complicated than that.  Respond to the consultation: www.tsa.nhs.uk/tell-us-what-you-think. If you cannot respond online,  please call freephone 0800 953 0110 or email tsaconsultation@nhs.net to request a hardcopy of the consultation response form to be posted to you.
  3. Attend the TSAs Public Meeting in Bromley, closest one is on Mon 26 Nov at 10am, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, Bromley, Kent BR1 4JD. Or Thurs 22 Nov at 7pm at Crofton Halls, Crofton Road, Orpington, Kent BR6 8PR. Or Mon 3 Dec at 2pm at Crofton Halls, Crofton Road, Orpington, Kent BR6 8PR.
  4. Write to the Bromley CCG should you have any concerns about future commissioning of services at the Beacon. Bromley CCG, Bassetts House. Broadwater Gardens, Orpington BR6 7UA.

String Serenade Concert – 7.45pm 17 November 2012, St George’s Church Beckenham

The SGCO’s next concert is on Saturday 17th November at St George’s Church, Beckenham. We will be playing string serenades by Tchaikovsky and Mozart (Eine Kleine). The orchestra will be directed by Dominic Moore who will also play a violin concerto by Bach.

The St. George’s Chamber Orchestra (SGCO) was founded in 2004 as the new professional orchestra for the South East, established in order to give local music lovers the opportunity to hear orchestral concerts of the highest standard on their doorstep. All the SGCO’s members play regularly with the famous London orchestras such as the London Symphony, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. Further information can be found on their website:

http://www.sgco.co.uk/

Odeon makes application to sell alcohol

The Odeon Cinema Beckenham has made an application to vary its premises licence to add the sale by retail of alcohol everyday. Further information can be found online on the Councils website at the link below.

https://searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk/onlineapplications/licencingApplicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MD27HSBT0D700

Residents wishing to comment on this application can do so by email (licensing@bromley.gov.uk) or post (Licensing, Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley, BR1 3UH).  You must ensure you quote reference: 12/00823/LAPRE and state your full name and address.

Bromley Healthcare Trust attend Residents Meeting regarding future of Beacon

Residents Forum and Open Meeting – TONIGHT 8pm Weds 7 Nov 2012 Beckenham Public Halls

The Director of Health Care System Reform from Bromley PCT/CCG (who are proposed to take over the Beacon when the South London Healthcare Trust pulls out) addresses Beckenham residents tonight.

Click for more information regarding the Beacon

SCAM fake Police Officer – message from Bromley Police

Police were called to the victim’s home address after he had called 999 stating he had been a victim of a scam. On police arrival the victim stated that on 25/10/2012 at around 1330 he had received a call from a male who stated he was a police officer. This male knew the victims surname without being told and identified him self as DC Metcalf. This male stated to the victim that he was taking part in some form of operation to trap local criminals in the area and needed £4000 to do this.

The victim agreed to give the male the money but stated he would have to withdraw it from the bank. The male then told the victim that he could not tell anybody about this as it was secret. The male stated that one of his colleagues would come round later to the victim’s home address to collect the money. The victim was then given a reference number by the male which was 224498 and told that his colleague would give the victim this number to prove he was from the police.

Between 1330 and 1500 hours the victim has gone to Lloyds TSB in Orpington High Street to withdraw the £4000. The victim stated that he withdrew the money from his current account and was not challenged by bank staff as to why he was withdrawing so much money. The money was handed to the victim in a brown envelope.

At 1500 hours the victim had returned home from the bank and was alerted to a knocking at the front door. On answering the door stood a male (SUS 1) who was described as in his 30’s, F600 tall, olive skin, dark brown hair, with stubble and wearing a form of grey tracksuit with trainers. SUS1 showed the victim a piece of paper with the same reference number given by the male on the phone. The victim believed at this stage SUS1 was a police officer because of the reference number. No other identification was shown to the victim. The victim stated that SUS1 took two steps back from the door and appeared agitated.

The victim has then gone to hand SUS1 the brown envelope containing the £4000 in cash to which SUS1 has insisted it be put in a plastic bag instead. The victim has then gone to look for a plastic bag which has apparently made SUS1 agitated. The money was then placed in a plastic Wilson bag and handed over to SUS1. SUS1 has then left.

Save Lewisham A&E from closure? Closest A&E for many Beckenham Residents

Following the South London Healthcare Trust (SLHT) being put into administration,  the Trust Special Administrator’s has recommended the merger of Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich (operated by SLHT) and Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust (not operated by SHLT). This will see Lewisham Hospital cease to have an A&E. As Lewisham A&E is the closest for many Beckenham residents you may wish to support the Save Lewisham A&E Campaign.

There are currently 2 petitions doing the rounds.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/lewisham-hospital/

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41027

 

 

 

Beckenham Beacon Future Uncertain – NHS Trust Pulls Out

Following the South London Health Care Trust being put into administration a report has been published that recommends the NHS Trust terminates it lease at the Beckenham Beacon. A  public consultation on these recommendations is now open until the 13th December (respond to the consultation: www.tsa.nhs.uk/tell-us-what-you-think).

Extract from the report: “Beckenham Beacon: The Trust currently only provides outpatient and diagnostics services from the site, but in doing so occupies around 45% of the total space. This makes the space very poorly utilised and comes at a cost of over £1.7m a year. By improving the utilisation of the space and services within Princess Royal University Hospital, the Trust will be able to provide the services considerably more efficiently from there. Discussions have therefore started with Bromley CCG on ending the lease, which will reduce the Trust’s spend by £1.7m per year.

As part of these discussions, the CCG will be considering how it can most effectively use Beckenham Beacon to support the delivery of its communitybased care strategy. This may include the provision of some planned care, outpatients and diagnostics from the site. The CCG is also exploring opportunities to maximise the utilisation of the building for health and social care provision, which could include moving other local primary care and community services in as well.”

Bromley CCG refers to the NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group which becomes a statutory body in 1 April 2013. Until then Bromley CCG will operate under the aegis of Bromley Primary Care Trust (PCT) which remains the statutory organisation for the commissioning of health services in Bromley until 31 March 2013.

What residents what to know is:

  1. When can the South London Health Care Trust terminate the lease?
  2. What services will be lost from the Beacon?
  3. What services do the Bromley CCG/PCT plan to provide in the Beacon?

Our Association will champion the Beacon and strive to find these answers. We have a public meeting on Weds 7 November 8pm at the Beckenham Public Halls, please come along and raise your concerns with our Councillors and our London Assembly Member. This consultation on health provision in our town, borough and South East London more widely is significant to us all.

Useful links

Respond to the consultation: www.tsa.nhs.uk/tell-us-what-you-think

Summary of the TSA’s recommendations:www.tsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/Summary%20of%20TSA%20recommendations.pdf

Full draft report: www.tsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/TSA-DRAFT-REPORT-WEB.pdf

 

South London Healthcare NHS Trust Administration – Consequences for Beckenham

The South London Healthcare Trust (SLHT) was put into administration in July after being declared bust.  The SLHT operates out of three main sites Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough near Orpington, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich and Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. It also operates two smaller satellite sites, the Beckenham Beacon and Orpington Hospital.

The Trust Special Administrator’s draft report into the future of South London Healthcare NHS Trust and services in South East London has now been published.  The key areas affecting Beckenham are:

  • The NHS Trust pulling out of the Beckenham Beacon by terminating the lease, discussions are already underway. What if anything will be put in its place? Residents may have to travel to Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough for services previously provided at the Beacon.
  • A recommendation to merge the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site with Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust will see Lewisham Hospital cease to have an A&E (this is the closest A&E for many Beckenham residents).

Lewisham Hospital has the closest A&E for many Beckenham residents. If the Minor Injury Unit at the Beacon is also closed the Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough will be the closest hospital for urgent care. It is also recommended Orpington Hospital be sold off.

A summary of the recommendations can be found below. A  public consultation on these recommendations is now open until the 13th December. Respond to the consultation: www.tsa.nhs.uk/tell-us-what-you-think

Draft recommendations 

The draft recommendations put forward in the TSA’s report propose a response to the long-standing issues at South London Healthcare NHS Trust (and its predecessor Trusts) and the sustainability challenges that are forecast to be facing the wider south east London system in the future. The recommendations are set in the context of the need to move towards a model of healthcare that ensures continued improvement in life expectancy and quality of life while addressing the challenges of an ageing population, the growth in the number of people with long term conditions and constrained levels of funding to the NHS. Only through a response to all of these dimensions can safe, high quality, affordable health services be secured for the population of south east London in a sustainable way.

The scale of change required both in the Trust and across the wider health economy is significant and cannot be delivered instantly. A three-year transformation programme is recommended. Through this, the NHS in south east London will be able to deliver services within the resources available by the end of the financial year 2015/16. At this
point of the UPR process, it is proposed that the transformation programme has six elements to it:

1. The operational efficiency of the hospitals that make up South London Healthcare NHS Trust needs to improve so that the Trust’s costs are in line with strong performing NHS organisations.

2. Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup should be developed into a Bexley Health Campus providing a range of services to the local population, including day case elective surgery, endoscopy and radiotherapy. The facility should be owned by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and services should be provided by a range of organisations.

3. Vacant and poorly utilised premises should be exited (leases) or sold (freeholds). The NHS should engage with the local authorities in Bromley and Bexley in the 2 process of selling surplus estate to ensure its future use maximises regeneration opportunities. [This includes the NHS pulling out of the Beckenham Beacon by terminating their lease, and selling off Orpington Hospital.]

4. On an annual basis until the relevant contracts end, the Department of Health should provide additional funds to the local NHS to cover the excess costs of the PFI buildings at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital.

5. In line with commissioner intentions to improve the quality of care for the local population, there should be a transformation in the way services are provided in south east London. Specifically, changes are recommended in relation to community-based care and emergency, maternity and elective services:

  • Community Based Care – The Community Based Care strategy for south east London should be implemented to deliver improved primary care and community services in line with the aspirations in the strategy. This will enable patients to receive care in the most appropriate location, much of which will be closer to, or in, their home.
  • Emergency care – Emergency care for the most critically unwell patients should be provided from four sites – King’s College Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital. Alongside this, services at University Hospital Lewisham, Guy’s Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup will provide urgent care for those that do not need to be admitted to hospital. Emergency care for those patients suffering from a major trauma (provided at King’s College Hospital), stroke (provided at King’s College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital), heart attack (provided at St Thomas’ Hospital and King’s College Hospital) and vascular problems (provided at St  Thomas’ Hospital) will not change from the current arrangements.
  • Maternity care – There are two options under consideration to ensure that a high quality of care is provided for women needing to be in hospital during pregnancy and for women when giving birth. Obstetric-led deliveries could be centralised in line with critical emergency care across King’s College Hospital, St Thomas’s Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital; alternatively, there could also be a ‘stand-alone’ obstetric-led delivery unit at University Hospital Lewisham. All other maternity care will continue to be provided in a range of locations across south east London.
  • Elective care – An elective centre for non-complex inpatient procedures (such as hip and knee replacements) should be developed at University Hospital Lewisham to serve the whole population of south east London. Alongside this 3 elective day cases procedures should continue to be provided at all seven main hospitals in south east London; complex procedures should continue to be delivered at Kings’ College Hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital, and specialist procedures at Guy’s Hospital, King’s College Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital. Outpatient services should be delivered from a range of local locations.

6. In order to deliver this transformation programme, South London Healthcare NHS Trust should be dissolved and other organisations should take over the management and delivery of the NHS services it currently provides. In addition to the proposals for Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup outlined above:

  • The Queen Elizabeth Hospital site should come together with Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust to create a new organisation focused on the provision of care for the communities of Greenwich and Lewisham.
  • There are two options for Princess Royal University Hospital. The first is an acquisition by King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which would enable the delivery of service change, enhance the services offered at the site and strengthen the capacity of the site to deliver the necessary operational improvements. This is the preferred option at this stage. However, an alternative option is to run a procurement process that would allow any provider from the NHS or independent sector to bid to run services on the site.
  • It is important that these new organisations are not saddled with the issues of the past. To this end, it is recommended that the Department of Health writes off the debt associated with the accumulation of deficits at South London Healthcare NHS Trust. By 31 March 2013, this is estimated to be £207m

Useful links

Respond to the consultation: www.tsa.nhs.uk/tell-us-what-you-think

Summary of the TSA’s recommendations: www.tsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/Summary%20of%20TSA%20recommendations.pdf

Full draft report: www.tsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/TSA-DRAFT-REPORT-WEB.pdf

Have your say – Residents Forum and Open Meeting – 8pm Weds 7 Nov 2012 Beckenham Public Halls

Our Association is holding a joint open meeting with the West Beckenham Residents’ Association. Between our associations we cover the whole of Beckenham and so have invited a panel of councillors from every ward to take your questions.  James Cleverly our London Assembly Member will also be on the panel.

Clock House Ward • Copers Cope Ward • Kelsey and Eden Park Ward • Penge and Cator Ward

Come along and direct your concerns to the panel, we expect to cover the following issues:

  1. Proposals for Beckenham High Street and Conservation & Heritage
  2. Bromley’s Budget proposals including proposals for shared services with neighbouring boroughs
  3. NHS issues, future of Beckenham Beacon, closure of Orpington hospital, closure of Lewisham hospital A&E,  fate of PRU and the remaining services
  4. Other Issues (parking, nuisance, litter etc)

Join us from 7.45pm, at the Beckenham Public Halls, Bromley Road, Beckenham. Wine and nibbles will be served after the meeting,

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bromley Police alert residents of scam involving bogus police officers

Police in Bromley are warning members of the public not to hand over money to men claiming to be detectives involved in a Bromley-led operation to tackle local criminals.Residents in Bromley have reported being approached by suspects posing as detectives and asking for money.

Officers in Orpington have recorded two incidents in the past week where members of the public have received calls from bogus detectives.

This is how the scam is carried out; a bogus detective rings the victim to explain that they are conducting an operation to trap local criminals and need money and assistance from members of the public in order to carry out their investigation. They appear to know the surname of the person they are contacting, which may make the call more credible. The caller also explains that the money provided will be marked with a special dye, as part of the bogus police operation.

Victims have been asked to provide large amounts of cash which is subsequently collected from their home address by another bogus police officer. The victims are even given a code or reference number. The fake police officer, who later collects the money from the victim’s address, will quote the reference number when he collects the cash, simply to make the scam look more believable.

Victims are also told that their money is being safely stored at Orpington Police Station.
In one case, one of the victims was also showed a fake ID similar to an officer’s warrant card.
One of the suspects is described as in his thirties, approximately 6’ tall, olive skin, dark brown hair, with stubble and wearing a grey tracksuit with trainers. A second suspect has simply been described as a black man.

Both incidents have taken place in Orpington and so far two victims have handed over a total of £12,000.
Bromley CID are investigating.
Chief Inspector Katrina Smith from police in Bromley said:
“We don’t ask members of the public to provide us with money in order to assist with our investigations. Please be extra vigilant and do not hand any money to anyone; it does not matter if they say they are from the police or if they say that they are working with detectives. Do not hand over any cash”.

She added; “It appears that the scammers are targeting elderly people and pensioners. If you have an elderly relative or friend, please make them aware of this scam and ensure that they do not hand over any cash to strangers under any circumstances.”

Anyone with information should contact DC James Coldham, Bromley CID on 020 8284 8783 or 020 8284 8785. Anyone with information who wishes to remain anonymous should ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Remembrance Poppies

Our Town Centre Manager has organised the giant poppies that adorn the tree at Thornton’s Corner (junction of Kelsey Park Road, Manor Road and High Street). They serve as a reminder of this year’s Remembrance Day parade & wreath laying ceremony, at the Beckenham War Memorial on Sunday the 11th of November. The parade begins at 10.15 am in St. Georges Road and proceeds to the War Memorial to observe the two minutes silence at 11.00 am. Our association is proud to be attending the parade and laying a wreath.

Bromley Community Engagement Forum Public Meeting – 29 Nov 2012

Date: Thursday 29 November 2012
Time 7pm
Venue Bromley Football Club, Hayes Lane, Bromley BR2 9EF

This meeting will provide you with the opportunity to hear and question the relevant authorities (Police, Fire, Ambulance, Health, Council) as to how their services coped during and post the Olympic period. We have asked them to provide us with a report which will be circulated to you beforehand to ensure you have time to discuss within your groups and to notify us of any questions in advance.

Everyone is welcome to attend, but to ensure seats it would be appreciated if you could RSVP to:

Amanda Evans, Operations Manager
amanda.evans@bcef.org.uk http://www.bcef.org.uk

New sensory garden opens in Beckenham Place Park

The garden is a space for users to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life in a corner of the park that has been transformed to stimulate all five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.  It includes features, designed to attract wildlife and create sound including bird baths and feeders, as well as textured floors and raised beds.

The garden has been created for the entire community and includes seating areas, a disability ramp, a wheelchair friendly picnic bench and wheelchair accessible footpaths. A trip to the garden will enhance the physical and emotional well-being of all visitors and residents with a disability, such as dementia or a visual impairment, will be able to enjoy nature in a safe and tactile environment.