A large conference of Rutland people was held on 4 September to consider the new National Health Service Long Term Plan (2019) and how it could be applied effectively to Rutland.

The national plan aims at ensuring acute hospitals only treat the acutely ill and all care that can be as close to home as possible is delivered that way.

The proceedings of 'A Health Plan for Rutland' - has now been issued.

It calls for action to address the serious consequences if current plans to close 500 beds at Leicester General and Rutland Memorial are put into place. Publication at the weekend of Government Plans to invest in reconfiguration of hospitals in Leicester has created urgency in addressing these issues.

Said Jennifer Fenelon, Chair of the Rutland Health & Social Care Policy Consortium, said: "We would welcome investment in Leicester Hospitals but, by closing Leicester General and Rutland Memorial and moving around 500 beds, diagnostics, treatment and out-patients much further away, many Rutland people will lose access to care.

"What we have seen of current proposals appear to be at odds with the NHS Long Term Plan.

"The conference report sets out constructively how alternatives could be provided. Delegates called for the upgrading of Rutland Memorial Hospital as a health hub, to house services closer to home in line with the NHS Long Term Plan.

"The first service would be the base for a step up/step down unit to either keep people out of hospital or speed their discharge. This would support both patients able to go directly home from acute hospitals or provide in patient care for a few days for those unable to go directly home.

"Secondly the report recognises both the growing number of elderly in Rutland as well as the very poor transport links which make travelling to the West of Leicester or the centre of Leicester either gruelling or completely impossible.

"Delegates called for all diagnostic, in patient, out patient and minor treatments that could be moved out of an acute hospital to be moved from Leicester Hospitals to a health 'hub' based at Rutland Memorial Hospital.

"Lastly the conference recognised that Peterborough is now a major acute hospital serving Rutland.

"The closure of Leicester General is likely to result in many more maternity and acute patients either choosing or having to go to Peterborough because facilities to the west have been moved too far away.

"We have seen no plans to increase the capacity of Peterborough City Hospital to take additional patients. Delegates called for these issues to be addressed."

Consortium Member Kathy Reynolds said: "These issues have been known for years, yet plans continue to penalise this community.

"We ask that Better Care Together go beyond new buildings and plan services to meet the needs of local communities over the long term. They have promised to do this for some time and it must be done now.

"There is a great failure to recognise that Rutland is different from Leicester. It is a rural community with poor transport links and needs a local plan that addresses its local needs. A Leicester solution is not the answer.

"Other areas have recognised this and we noticed with interest that the Government plans to invest in six community hospitals "

The Rutland Health & Social Care Consortium is a group of non-aligned local people skilled in reviewing health and social care policy and who are concerned to see it applied effectively in Rutland.

A survey conducted earlier in 2019 by Healthwatch Rutland also sought Rutlanders' views about the Long term plan. Its findings concurred with the conference.