Southport "large enough" to host children's A&E department
Plus: Warning to dog owners and pain of Southport Pier closure
Hello and welcome to the 16th edition of The Southport Lead. Today, we’re looking at the future of emergency care provision in the town and what could happen next.
Since 2003, adults and children have had to visit separate locations for A&E and calls for change have been ongoing throughout that entire period. A major review of urgent care could see that changed with the desire for a single location once again made clear, but how it would happen is anything but clear.
With a catchment area spanning Southport, Formby, Ormskirk and Skelmersdale, extremely limited funding options and ageing facilities, there is no easy answer on what comes next. While local leaders will each battle to see services kept in their own areas, it is a full consultation later this year which will give the best indication on what is to come next.
Also in today’s issue are a look at the impact of the closure of Southport Pier, the latest headlines from across the town and a warning to dog owners after sheep were ruthlessly attacked in a beauty spot.
Fight for A&E services ahead of emergency care consultation
The battle for the future of Southport’s A&E services looks set to rumble on ahead of a consultation of the future of the town’s NHS provision.
Calls have been made for Southport to regain its children’s A&E department ahead of a consultation which could lead to a major reform of urgent care provision. It comes in response to the publication of the latest stage of the NHS Shaping Care Together programme which aims to change emergency care services across Southport, Formby, and West Lancs.
Following a survey of 3,000 people which will help guide proposals in a full consultation, health bosses pointed to a widespread desire for adult and children’s A&E services to be housed in the same location. However, where and how that could actually happen remains unclear.
More than two decades has now passed since the much-contested decision to close the children’s A&E department at Southport but frustration has never settled. Matters were made worse when, during the Covid pandemic, Ormskirk ceased to offer 24 hour access at it’s A&E department meaning children requiring emergency treatment at night have to travel to Alder Hey in Liverpool.
Speaking to The Southport Lead, Southport MP Patrick Hurley MP said: “As the Member of Parliament for Southport, I fully support the reinstatement of the children's A&E department at Southport Hospital and the retention of the adult A&E as part of the Shaping Care Together process. For over 20 years, our community has been advocating for the return of this vital service, and it is high time we end the torturous journeys parents have to make for basic reassurance.
“Our town is large enough to justify a full, functioning emergency department for both adults and children. Having a dedicated Children's A&E would mean quicker response times, less stress for parents, and, most importantly, better health outcomes for our children. I urge the NHS and local health authorities to listen to the voices of our residents and take decisive action to improve emergency care services in Southport.”
NHS bosses in Southport and Ormskirk have long wanted to build a new facility capable of housing emergency provision for all ages but funding has never been available. Back in 2018, an independent report commissioned by Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust concluded that having A&E departments in separate locations was “inefficient, unsustainable and potentially dangerous”.
For Cllr John Pugh, former Southport MP and now Lib Dem group leader on Sefton Council, the need for change is evident. He said: "It is under severe pressure and needs if anything to further increase its capacity. It would be criminal in the context of any review to downgrade it.
“Making it all age and accepting children though now makes a lot of sense, with the Trust being unable to cover a 24 hour service for children at Ormskirk. I would be delighted to see Southport's long desire for the return of Children's A&E fulfilled but recognise that there could be other outcomes.”
Those sentiments are echoed by Conservative group leader Cllr Mike Prendergast who told The Southport Lead it is “absolutely vital” to both retain adult A&E services in Southport and regain a children’s one.
He said: “As a town of over 90,000 people with thousands visiting everyday, we need Southport Hospital to have a range of emergency services available, including Children’s A&E. It’s not acceptable for families to have to travel to Ormskirk for children’s emergency care and after midnight to have to travel to Liverpool, around a 45 minute journey.
“From a political perspective, all parties agree on this and a motion was unanimously passed by Sefton Council to that effect. I very much hope that Southport Hospital becomes a hub for the provision of these vital services and the strength of feeling locally is taken into account by decision makers.”
The trust has continued to face financial difficulty and in 2023 merged with St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to become Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Last week, it published the findings of its pre-consultation engagement programme, which included a series of in-person and online public events, focus groups, and a survey which attracted almost 3,000 responses.
One of the findings of the survey was that it had become that “false and unfounded rumours had been circulated online about decisions to close A&E services at Southport and Ormskirk hospitals.” Challenging this will now form part of the next stage, with the full consultation described as a chance to “introduce new insights and perspectives so that the conversation around future services is based on all available facts”.
As well as being West Lancashire MP, Ashley Dalton, is also Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care. She told The Southport Lead: “I’m really thankful to everyone who has engaged with the Shaping Care Together programme so far.
“The Government’s focus is on delivering a Neighbourhood Health Service. By delivering care closer to the community, we can help people to live longer and to live well for longer.
“I’m confident that the Shaping Care Together programme, alongside the Government’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities will lead to better long-term health outcomes for people right across West Lancashire, Southport, and beyond.”
The programme is now going through a series of checks with NHS England to make sure everything in the pre-consultation phase was done as it should be and it is hoped the public consultation will start later this year.
Leading the programme is Rob Cooper, chief executive of Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, who said: “The need for change is pressing but it is essential that we take the time to get this right.
“We’re making sure that public and patients have a strong voice in shaping services together with us. I’m very pleased that so many people took our survey. We also had hundreds of face-to-face conversations with people sharing their ideas for future services.’’
More pier disappointment as Lottery Funding bid falls flat
By Elliot Jessett
Spring has officially started in the UK and people will be looking forward to warmer weather, brighter days and the possibility of enjoying more outdoor activities. However, for many residents in Southport, the beginning of spring marks another disappointing milestone in the ongoing closure of the town’s historic pier.
Southport Pier celebrates its 165th birthday this year, but more than two years after its closure, the Grade II listed landmark remains shut off from the public. It was closed in December 2022 on the advice of engineers after a period of extreme weather. Subsequent analysis of the pier’s structure determined the popular attraction was no longer safe to use.
March is usually the time when businesses in and around the pier would start opening up, expectant of the first wave of visitors looking for an early taste of the seaside town’s attractions. However, in terms of the pier, spring 2025 will be the same as spring 2023 and spring 2024 – empty, damaged and with no solid plans to reopen it.
Colin Jamieson is the proprietor of the Pavillion on Southport Pier and has been an outspoken critic of the council’s management of the pier’s closure, he said: “The council are still struggling to raise the funds from the wider government agencies and such like. Where does this leave us?
“This could go on indefinitely, the only option at present is for the whole scheme to be mothballed until all of the funds appear.
“This could drag on for many more years, leaving the pier to deteriorate even further. It’s now becoming clear, two years down the line how it is not just us as the leaseholder that needs our pier open, the wider Southport and Liverpool region’s economy is suffering due to lack of footfall and lack of interest in our town.”
Colin added: “It’s not just about the financial aspect. The pier is far more than monetary return, it serves locals and tourists alike for 52 weeks of the year […] the pier is vital to our community and for many all over the country.”
Colin believes the value of the pier cannot be overestimated and is still a focal point for residents and visitors alike. Jackie Vince, 82, has lived in Southport for the last 17 years and is in full agreement with this viewpoint.
Originally from Manchester, Jackie remembers the way the town used to be when the pier was open, she said: “It was brilliant.”
Jackie added: “Me and my husband – when he was alive – used to come here every Tuesday even before we moved here to […] go on the beach and everything. It’s just such a shame, because Southport is known for its pier and it has been left for years now.
“I was really hoping they could do something and I’m hoping it can still be saved because my son and my grandchildren, they come down and they miss the pier. All they can do is just go in the funfair and that’s it.”
Gemma Henford, 44, is a young mum and is like many local residents in that she’s both frustrated and disappointed by the prolonged closure of Southport Pier, she said: “It brought people to Southport because there’s not many older piers around and it was nice to walk down there with an ice cream and […] and they had the amusements there so the kids could play.
“It was just nice to walk down and actually walk out and have a little look at the coastline.
“A lot of the town is going to rack and ruin, but on a really warm, sunny day, you could still walk down the front with your children and then walk along the pier and […] it was really nice
“You can’t have a day out anymore, and say let’s go to the pier or let’s go to the beach and things like that. It’s sad.”
At last week’s cabinet meeting Thursday February 27, a mini-row broke out between Sefton’s council leader, Cllr Marion Atkinson and Lib Dem leader, Cllr John Pugh after the Labour member gave a brief update on then pier and a possible lottery funding bid.
This was picked up by Cllr Pugh who said: “The leader of the council needs to publish the full correspondence between the council and the lottery fund so we know the reasons why they have said that the pier wouldn’t qualify for funding so we have the full details and we can work out what plan B is.
“When she became leader last year, Cllr Atkinson made it clear that transparency was very important to her. The council are well aware of the strength of feeling among residents about getting the pier fixed and open and this latest news is a real setback.”
The LDRS understands the council have not had a ‘bid rejected’ but submitted an ‘expression of interest’ and will need to apply at a different stage of the year. A spokesperson from The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “The project outline submitted was not something The National Lottery Heritage Fund would be likely to support in its current form.
“We have provided feedback to Sefton Council and have invited them to get in touch with us if they would like to discuss this further.”
Responding to the claims put forward by Cllr Pugh and also providing an update on the status of the pier’s redevelopment, Cllr Marion Atkinson said: “Under this Labour-led council we have done all we can, and we will continue to do so for the Pier.
“On top of the average £462,000 every year in the 6 years lead up to the closure, we also allocated £3 million to replace the boards and found what every [councillor] knows is a flawed and unrepairable structure.
“We funded structural work to identify the true costs for a full replacement. We applied for listed building consent for the works, have submitted an expression of interest to the Heritage Lottery fund who very politely told us they would not be inviting us to make an application to the fund at this time.
“But that won’t stop us. We will apply again when the time is right. We have done all within our power to be ready to replace the pier when the money becomes available, we have a plan. We have commitment.”
Cllr Atkinson added: “the bottom line is the need for money, which the council does not have.”
Nonetheless, for some local residents like Diane Turner, 60, the ongoing closure of Southport Pier is an issue of increasing concern where explanations about finance are a source of frustration. Diane has lived in Southport – on and off – for about forty years, she said: “”Like everything else in this town, anything good just goes to rats.”
“I just think it’s on its a***. It’s a dying seaside town – crumbling”. Adding: “It is just neglected. [The closure of the pier] is just another one. They closed the pool down, they took away 100 year old ‘Cyclone’ we had and knocked it down […] we had an iconic piece of history, a wooden rollercoaster ride and it’s just gone.”
Diane appreciates what Sefton Council have said about the financial implications of refurbishing pier, but is less convinced by the argument. Diane said the council need to explore all options and get a financial plan sorted as quickly as possible, simply adding: “They need to find the money.”
Dog owners issues warning after deadly sheep attack
By Elliot Jessett
A sheep has been killed and two sheep are receiving treatment after a dog attack at a beauty spot. The date of the attack is not known but safety concerns were raised on Tuesday, February 25 when a number of sheep were unaccounted for during a routine welfare check.
The animals are part of the conservation sheep at Ainsdale Local Nature Reserve where they graze and help control vegetation growth. Sefton Council said the sheep’s grazing also encourages diverse plant species to grow and dune specialists such as natterjack toads, sand lizards, and northern tiger beetles to thrive.
The injured animals were found on Wednesday and taken to a vet for treatment. A subsequent examination of the injuries confirmed the puncture wounds present on the deceased and injured sheep are consistent with a dog bite.
Sadly, due to the severity of the injuries, one of the sheep was euthanised. Two other sheep are currently being treated for their injuries, while another remains unaccounted for. Cllr Mhairi Doyle, Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “It is distressing to learn that animals have been injured in this way, with one still missing.
“This would not have been a quick death for this sheep and it would have suffered extreme distress at the time.
“We feel sure that no one would want these animals to suffer in this way, and so appeal to all visitors to our coastline to ensure that if they are walking their dog(s), to please keep them on a lead whilst in the enclosure and if you do spot the sheep or cattle, take a wide route around them so they are not unnecessarily disturbed.
“The conservation sheep and cattle are such a valuable asset to the management of this stunning landscape and should be protected and respected by visitors to our coastline.”
Green Sefton’s Countryside Officer, Gordon White said: “I would urge dog owners to keep their pets on a lead and ensure they are under control to prevent this from happening again, just as they would in any farmers’ field where cows or sheep are present.
“We ask that if people do come across the grazing animals, they should turn and walk the other way to avoid disturbing or spooking them.”
Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Head of Communications, Alan Wright, said the work of the sheep benefits not only nature but people who walk in those areas, he added: “It is so sad to hear that sheep have been attacked by dogs, and will have suffered horrible injuries and, in this case, a painful and terrifying death.
“I wonder if the owner of the dog or dogs involved realises the damage their pet has done? I am sure they would be upset if they were given the details.
“If dog walkers see sheep grazing close to where they are walking they must keep their pets under control. And it is important to remember that spring is close by so there may be nesting or young birds in these areas, so dogs should really be on leads.”
Sefton Council advised visitors to areas with livestock should call 999 immediately if they witness an active dog attack and encourage all visitors to follow familiarise themselves with Sefton’s Coastal and Visitor Areas Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) – a list of activities that aren’t allowed to protect our sensitive environment and ensure everyone has a good time at our coast.
News in headlines
Southport mosque leader sees rioters 'in his dreams' but community remains united (Liverpool Echo)
Southport in Bloom wins place in UK Final as one of four Coastal category finalists (Stand Up For Southport)
Runner’s 28-hour railway challenge on track to raise more than £40,000 (Independent)
Thanks for reading this mid-week edition of The Southport Lead, I’ll be back in your inbox on Sunday morning. In the meantime if there’s anything you think I should be looking into then drop me a line southport@thelead.uk
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Jamie & The Southport Lead team