There is some uncertainty over the funding for new trauma units set to be introduced at various Lincolnshire hospitals after the government’s review in to public service spending.
Jim Hayes, the deputy director of strategic planning and health outcomes at NHS Lincolnshire, is confident that the scheme would go ahead but said that it was not certain yet: “It’s really early to go in to any of the details of the spending review cuts, the NHS budget is protected and alot of the costs associated with the network are already incurred within the NHS anyway.”
“So the expectation is that the network should be able to go ahead but we do need to look very carefully about what the cost of the network is.”
Although the trauma network would be an increase in service from the NHS, Mr Haynes said it wouldn’t mean many new jobs would be created.
He said: “I think because of the small number of patients it would impact upon, the new trauma network wouldn’t create that a significant number of jobs. Where you might see a potential increase in jobs is in East Midlands Ambulance service.”
The designated trauma units, to be installed at Lincoln County Hospital and Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital, are part of a network that deals with trauma patients, which includes the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham as a major trauma centre.
Mr Haynes estimated that throughout Lincolnshire 160 patients a year would benefit from the introduction of the units which are set to be introduced by the end of the year.
Listen to Tom Bowen’s full inteview with Jim Haynes below.