A meeting took place on Friday 7 March chaired by Christopher Fraser MP and attended by key stakeholders to move forward the review process on intermediate care in West Norfolk.
Christopher Fraser, MP for South West Norfolk, said: “Having brought together the key stakeholders for a second time to discuss progress on intermediate care provision in Swaffham and surrounding villages, I am very pleased to say that considerable progress has been made in terms of the range of services needed. This will in turn determine the physical requirements of the site. It is right that the public are kept fully informed as the process develops, and I have asked NHS Norfolk to sent a note to be distributed to all Swaffham Town Councillors at the Council Meeting on Wednesday 12 March, so that they are all brought up to speed. I shall continue to do all I can to put the best case for retaining local care services in the town.”
Sheila Childerhouse, Chairman of NHS Norfolk, said: “Following a further informal discussion led by Christopher Fraser MP and other interested parties, the Primary Care Trust has met with key clinicians in the Swaffham locality to determine the range of services to meet the health needs of the population of Swaffham and its wider catchment. The PCT is committed to maintaining and enhancing the range of services to ensure local accessibility. The PCT Board will be receiving a paper at its Public Meeting on 25 March 2008. This paper will be in the public domain”.
Mayor of Swaffham, Councillor Shirley Matthews said: “With regards to positive on-going discussions with the PCT and in relation to using part of surplus allotment land, residents should be assured that Swaffham Town Council as an accredited Quality Council has a requirement to achieve Best Value for the people who live and work in Swaffham. They share similar aims to those of the PCT which is to deliver continuous improvement in all their services. But no decisions have been made to date other than to continue dialogue with all interested parties.”
David Gulliver, Chairman of the Swaffham Hospital League of Friends said: “The League of Friends are committed to playing a major role in the future of Health and Care in Swaffham and will continue to represent the views of the population at meetings which are taking place to assist the Board of National Health Service Norfolk(NHS) and Swaffham Town Council to come to a final decision on the future of the existing hospital and the services that are currently commissioned from it at present. There is a need to ensure we are prepared for the ever-changing NHS so that future services meet the needs of the increasing population.”
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