BMJ 1994;309:610 (3 September)

Letters

Community hospitals in the new NHS Need to change roles

EDITOR, - I fear that R W Liddell1 has misunderstood the main thrust of my editorial on community hospitals.2 There is no doubt that community hospitals have made a considerable contribution to total health care and are therefore supported by professional and public alike. I suggested, however, that these hospitals may have to change their role to adapt to the expectations of the new NHS so that they continue to have an effective role. Liddell's suggestion that many community hospitals deal primarily with acute care is interesting, although he does not say how this will continue in the internal market, where there can be competition from other providers. It is also worth bearing in mind that the secretary of state for health in England has recently started that there will be a 40% reduction in inpatient provision over the next few years.

Secondly, there was no confusion on my part . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Community hospitals in the new NHS
R W Liddell
BMJ 1994 309: 56-57. [Extract] [Full Text]

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