People power credited with saving three 'valuable' podiatry services in Portsmouth

As previously reported, clinics in Cosham, Landport and Eastney were at risk of closure as the Solent NHS Trust planned to centralise all services to St Mary's Hospital in Milton.

But following a consultation with the public and local groups that ended in January, Solent NHS has put forward new proposals.

These include retaining the smaller services, although ‘scaling back’ the offers at Lake Road and at Eastney, and moving more complex cases to the St Mary's campus.

A total of 272 patients and carers provided feedback to Solent about the proposals.

Chairman of Healthwatch Portsmouth, Roger Batterbury, said: ‘I think this really shows the power of consultation and the value of public engagement.

‘We are very happy with this outcome, these are valuable services for people.’

The majority of concerns raised centred around the accessibility of St Mary's.

Mr Batterbury added: ‘As a tongue-in-cheek request I told the senior managers to get a bus from Paulsgrove to St Mary's to see how that is and they actually did it.’

Alan Burnett, president of the Pompey Pensioners Association, shared those concerns. He said: 'It would have caused a real problem for people in those outlying areas. We welcome the change of heart as long as this is not just temporary, and are glad Solent have listened to the people.'

In a report to be heard by the health overview and scrutiny panel next week, Solent NHS said: ‘This option would require the more complex work that was being delivered on these sites to be transferred to St Mary’s though routine and non-complex work would be retained, based on patient feedback and using current appointment data to ensure right care right place right time.’

Panel members will be asked to accept Solent's proposal at the meeting on Thursday, March 12.

Podiatry services at the Turner Centre in St James' Hospital and Paulsgrove Healthy Living Centre closed last year.

Between January 2019 and 2020 podiatry services in Portsmouth were used by 2,693 patients from the city and surrounding areas.

It is thought scaling back services will generate a saving of £66,538.56 a year.