Closing the Northwick Park Hospital hydrotherapy pool
We have made the difficult decision to close the hydrotherapy pool at Northwick Park Hospital from 30 August.
The pool is used by a relatively small number of patients and is mostly used by fee-paying users. All users are being advised of the pool closure in good time and provided with information on alternative local providers of hydrotherapy. This includes the nearby Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital which has a much larger facility with accessible steps and a hoist. This means that all those who use the service will have suitable alternative options
We are actively engaging with service users, patient and carer groups, and local MPs about the closure and will take into consideration any concerns that are raised with us. While this will not impact upon the decision, it may affect the way in which we manage or communicate the change.
Hydrotherapy is not usually provided in acute hospitals, and the new NHS 10-year plan makes a clear distinction between services that should be provided in acute hospitals and those best provided by community services.
As an acute hospital trust we are focusing all resources on providing care to acutely unwell patients, and not the funding of community services. If we were to continue providing this community service (which operates at a financial loss to the Trust) it would reduce the number of appointments we can provide for our acutely unwell patients, resulting in longer waits for essential care.