Public consultation on proposals for unpopular changes to community hospital services

Mid and South Essex ICB commissions intermediate care and stroke rehabilitation inpatient services from four providers at six community hospitals in its area. In summer 2023, the ICB agreed temporary changes to the configuration of those services and the area’s freestanding midwife-led birthing unit, because of concerns about the condition of one of the older community hospitals in the area.

 

In autumn 2023, the ICB developed a business case for making permanent changes to those services and appointed Olovus to support the design, delivery, management, and analysis of a public consultation. Our brief was to secure feedback from patients, carers, residents, and stakeholders on the ICB’s proposals for potential changes to community hospital inpatient services provided at six community hospitals, a proposal to permanently relocate a freestanding midwife-led birthing unit, and the possibility of ceasing to provide patient services at a community hospital, which would likely lead to it closing.

 

We reviewed the programme documentation and advised amendments. We designed and produced a range of materials to support the involvement plan, including:

 

• a consultation document
• a summary document
• video presentations
• briefing notes
• an involvement pack for local community organisations, and
• three consultation podcasts featuring clinicians.

We advised the client on its programme of consultation events. We arranged and ran two public consultation hearings that gave local individuals, community groups, and community representatives an opportunity to present evidence directly to a panel of decision makers.

 

The consultation proposals attracted significant local attention. Residents in one community formed a campaign group to oppose the proposed changes. We worked with the ICB team to manage the delivery of the consultation, monitor its progress, and manage issues.

 

We secured 5,544 responses to the consultation survey and, in total, more than 8,000 engagements in the consultation. We presented our consultation report analysing the feedback received to the ICB Board in July 2024, which put the voices of local people at the heart of decision-making about these services.

 

The ICB went on to further involve local people and community groups in refining the proposals, and decided to implement changes to intermediate care and stroke rehabilitation inpatient services and the area’s freestanding midwife-led birthing unit in July 2025.  

 

Claire Hankey, Director of Communications and Partnerships, Mid and South Essex ICB, said:

 

“Working with Olovus has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Their professionalism, dedication, and expertise are remarkable. The team’s collaborative spirit, coupled with their unwavering support and guidance, really makes them feel like an extension of the in-house team rather than external contractors.

 

“Our experience of working with Olovus has been outstanding. We are immensely grateful for their hard work, support, and good advice. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.”