Christopher Fraser, MP for South West Norfolk, has called on the Government to act to save community hospitals. Speaking during a debate in the House of Commons, he accused the Government of over-promising and under-delivering on healthcare, and told MPs that people in South West Norfolk felt desperately let down by the Government’s refusal to guarantee the future of Swaffham community hospital, despite commitments to community healthcare in a White Paper published less than a year ago.
After the debate Christopher Fraser confirmed that he has sought an urgent meeting with Ministers to discuss the local situation. He added: “Thousands of people in South West Norfolk anxiously await the publication of the PCT’s proposals for intermediate care. People feel passionately that their community hospital should be able to continue offering the exceptionally high level of care that local people have received and valued for generations.
“Given the many Government promises on healthcare which have gone unfulfilled such as universal access to NHS dentistry, is it any wonder that local people are concerned that the decision to close Swaffham community hospital has already been taken? My constituents have already endured rising parking charges at hospital sites in a desperate attempt to generate revenue, the imposition of minimum waiting times, the deferral of operations from one financial year to another and the slashing of vital services in December with the commitment that they will be reinstated in April. It is natural for people to wonder whether community hospitals will be next.”
Mr Fraser announced that he has become a Patron of a national charity devoted to protecting community hospitals, CHANT (Community Hospitals Acting Nationally Together, and a member of the charity’s steering group.
Swaffham Borough Councillor Ian Sherwood, said:
“Local Swaffham people are very concerned about the future of their Community Hospital and it is clear that a great number of people want to be assured that its future is secure. Many thousands of local people have signed the petitions that have been organised by the Hospital League of Friends, by myself and other local Conservative councillors asking that the all the services and beds provided at the Hospital in Swaffham remain open. With our local Member of Parliament Christopher Fraser, we are doing all we can to make sure the PCT is fully aware of the strength of feeling that Swaffham Community Hospital must stay open." |