Commons debate on ward closure?
Helen has written to the Speaker of the House of Commons asking for a debate on the decision of local NHS bosses to close Ward 3 at Bishop Auckland General Hospital.
Helen has applied for the debate in order to raise the ward closure at the highest level, following local health chiefs’ rejection of protests against the ward’s closure.
Helen said “I remain deeply unsatisfied by the reasons given by local NHS managers for the ward’s closure. My scrutiny of their plans shows that the ward was 85 per cent full in recent years – surely this suggests we need Ward 3 to stay open.
“I have now applied for a House of Commons debate on the matter so I can highlight why we need to keep Ward 3 open. I hope that hospital bosses will take note of the strong opposition to their plans.”
NHS bosses have claimed that the ward is not needed, even though the hospital has been closed to new admissions for several days since the New Year. A petition with several thousand names has also been gathered by local people opposed to the plans.
Helen said, “I have written to the Chief Executive of the local NHS Trust with several unexplained questions about why the closure is needed. I have also invited him to attend a public meeting to discuss the matter.
“Bishop Auckland General Hospital is a vital community asset and we need a clear plan to safeguard its future.”
You can read Helen’s letter to the Chief Executive of the Trust here.
Filed under: Uncategorized on January 19th, 2007
