THE Emergency Medical Centre at Wycombe would seemingly be downgraded under new NHS plans – to reflect the loss of several specialist services from the hospital.

With hundreds of medical patients being redirected to Stoke Mandeville each month, there would be a shift in focus for Wycombe’s emergency services.

Currently about 933 ‘urgent care patients’ attend Wycombe Hospital each week, though only about a third require admission to hospital.

Under the planned arrangements, bosses expect this third of patients to go instead to Stoke Mandeville or Wexham Park Hospitals. The remaining 600 would be seen by a new minor injuries and illnesses service on the Wycombe site.

Bucks health bosses say there are not enough A&E consultants to maintain the Emergency Medical Centre at Wycombe, while merging its operations with Stoke Mandeville will save £2 million per year.

This would enable the creation of an expanded specialist A&E ward at Stoke Mandeville.

Wycombe Hospital would retain its specialist stroke and cardiology services, as well as an GP-led ‘urgent care service’, for people who turn up without having seeing a doctor or paramedic.

However, GPs and ambulance crews would be told to take medical patients needing urgent hospital attention to Stoke Mandeville or Wexham Park.

This would complete a move that started in 2005, when Wycombe’s trauma unit was closed – meaning seriously injured patients already have to go to Stoke Mandeville.

Bosses say the new plans will create better A&E services for Bucks, with increased staffing and reduced mortality rates.

They also point to the huge amount of waste created at the Wycombe’s Emergency Medical Centre by unnecessary attendances – saying the change will only affect a small proportion of people.

Meanwhile, new telephone and email advice services are set to be developed to help prevent unnecessary hospital attendances.