HEALTH chiefs have finally published a draft version of the controversial Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for the region’s NHS after previously being criticised for a lack of transparency.

The plan for Darlington, Durham, Teeside, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby, which critics fear will lead to some hospitals being downgraded and services being lost, identifies four key areas for improvement.

These are

:: Preventing ill health and helping people to manage long term conditions effectively

:: Supporting people to stay well and independent for as long as possible by increasing NHS services provided in the community

:: Making sure patients get the best hospital treatment, which would see people involved in life-threatening emergencies being seen at a specialist hospital

:: Using technology to improve diagnosis and treatment, which could mean more sharing of patient records and ‘video appointments’.

The draft document, which is set to be developed over coming months, was circulated publicly last month after – in an unusual step – it was published on Hartlepool Council’s website by its leader Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher.

A frustrated Cllr Akers-Belcher said he had serious reservations about the process and the plan that was being developed and full transparency had not been demonstrated so far.

MPs, meanwhile, have continued to express their doubts with Darlington MP Jenny Chapman accusing the plan’s authors of “fantasy planning”.

The MP, who has been endeavouring to preserve an A&E department at Darlington Memorial Hospital along with consultant-led maternity services, recently spoke in the House of Commons and said there had been a failure to demonstrate the clinical advantages to centralising services.

Inevitably many people would face longer journeys to A&E, she said.

Mrs Chapman said “massive investment” was required in order to manage patients in their local communities and much of what was being projected was not deliverable within current spending levels.

Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham added: “The bottom line is we have to fight to protect A&E and other facilities at the hospitals while still recognising the need for specialist centres.”

The current vision, by 2020, envisages two specialist emergency hospitals being in place – the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, along with one of either Darlington or North Tees being the other.

In addition there would be four local hospitals, the Friarage, in Northallerton, Bishop Auckland, Hartlepool and one of either Darlington or North Tees, although only the Friarage would retain an A&E.

Clinical lead for the STP, Dr Stewart Findlay conceded there were financial pressures on the local NHS, but the aim was still to make improvements.

He said: “The view of our clinical staff is that more care should be provided outside of hospital, in the community, or in a patient’s home where this is safe and effective, supported by GPs, NHS community services, and with the NHS working together with social care and the voluntary sector.

“For serious emergencies and life threatening situations patients should be treated where senior consultants and experienced teams of staff are available, 24/7, seeing high numbers of patients with similar problems.

“Where this already happens, patients have much better results, and our doctors believe this approach needs to be extended to other potentially life threatening situations.”

NHS England asked commissioners and providers to work together to develop STPs as improvement plans for their area and to work with local authorities and other partners to deliver these.

But some have suggested they are being used as a cover for cuts to an already struggling health service.

Earlier this week the British Medical Association revealed in a survey that two thirds of doctors had not been consulted on the plans.

Unless urgent changes are made health chiefs claim the region is facing a £281m health and social care deficit by 2021, although the STP does suggest a potential capital investment of £115m.