ACCIDENT and Emergency services could close if Southport & Ormskirk Hospital Trust fails to achieve Foundation Trust (FT) status.
The trust would be unable to protect itself from neighbouring hospitals “cherry-picking” key departments if its campaign does not impress health bosses.
Southport & Ormskirk Hospital Trust chief executive Jonathan Parry revealed he is confident he can lead a successful FT bid but admitted: “It’s do or die time” for our hospitals.
Mr Parry laid bare the harsh reality facing the trust as budget cuts and administrative overhauls are imposed upon the NHS.
The biggest threat to services in Southport and Ormskirk is the looming foundation trust bid.
Should Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust win the approval of the Department of Health and the watchdog, Monitor, it would have a greater say in the way it operates and be able to protect the services it currently provides. But failure would leave services vulnerable, including A&E for adults and children.
Mr Parry said: “First of all you have no choice if you don’t become a foundation trust. There’s no guarantee of anything that currently exists. “There’s no guarantee these services would continue... it’s do or die, there’s no doubt about it.”
