Christopher Fraser, MP for South West Norfolk, has announced that he is calling on all relevant stakeholders to a meeting to take forward the campaign to save Swaffham Community Hospital.
Speaking after a celebration hosted by the Hospital’s League of Friends to mark the success of the campaign to persuade Norfolk PCT to retain intermediate care beds in the town, Christopher Fraser said, “I was delighted to see so many people at the reception. It is clear from listening to their comments that everyone is as determined as ever to ensure that we find a long-term solution that will retain community hospital services in Swaffham.
“Following the Government’s indication that it is minded to grant approval for the Town Council to sell allotment land, the time has come to consider how to move forward to address the PCT’s view that the existing hospital is too small to be viable in the longer term, as the population of western Norfolk grows.
“I am contacting all the stakeholders to invite them to a meeting which I intend to chair, at which we can discuss the options. This approach worked very well in making progress on the project to upgrade the A11 east of Thetford, and I am confident that a round-table discussion will be helpful to all concerned. In the interests of the local community, we must work very carefully towards finding a match between what is required by the PCT and what is possible for the town. Swaffham needs a secure future for our community hospital, and I am calling for a combined effort to make this happen.”
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