We take A&E fight to parliament (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

We take A&E fight to parliament

THE BATTLE to call a halt to cuts in services at Cirencester Hospital reached the floor of the House of Commons this week.

A petition organised by the Standard and signed by 7,238 readers, calling on Health Secretary Alan Milburn to halt the cuts, was formally presented in the chamber on Tuesday by Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown.

And the MP, who deplores any further reduction in services at the hospital, is now planning an emergency Commons debate on the issue during the next few days.

It is totally unacceptable to take away services which are well used when the only alternative for people, many of them elderly and living in villages with little or no public transport, is a district general hospital 20 miles away, he said.

This week there were new reports of possible cuts at the hospital. Following rumours that both Stratton and Beeches wards were at risk if acute admissions to the hospital were halted, there were reports this week that a new use for Baunton ward might also be under discussion.

The reports claimed that the patients currently in Baunton, 14 elderly and five of working age, all with some form of mental illness, were to be transferred to a unit in Stroud. However a spokesman for Gloucestershire Social Services said, after consul-tation with the Severn NHS Trust, that the reports were incorrect.

He added: One or two people may be transferred if Baunton ward becomes full, but no wholesale transfer is planned.

The Standards petition was delivered to Mr Clifton-Brown at the House of Commons on Monday by the newspapers editor, Peter Davison, and chief reporter, Gerry Stribbling.

Mr Clifton-Brown will be one of the speakers at a protest rally to be held in Cirencester Market Place at noon on December 8.

The rally, organised by the president of the hospitals League of Friends, Lord Apsley, is expected to attract hundreds of people, and coaches are being organised to bring many in from surrounding villages. The event this week received the backing of the Cirencester branch of the Transport and General Workers Union. Secretary John Deeks said the branch had unanimously agreed to call on all of its members and their families and friends to attend, and planned to see the unions banner carried at the rally.

The branch is totally opposed to any reduction in services, he said, adding that letters had gone to Mr Milburn and Mr Clifton-Brown.

Mr Deeks added: We have a good, hard working relationship with the hospital and we are not prepared to see all their good work wasted, together with that of the League of Friends. Sitting back and doing nothing is not an option.

He said the T&GWU also supported the suggestion that an action group should be set up to continue the campaign after the rally, and would like to be represented on it. Every so often attempts are made to chip away at our hospital services and it is with that in mind that we fully support the setting up of an action group, he said.

Mr Deeks said the group could even explore constructive and practical ways of improving services and perhaps expanding them.

The branchs letter to Mr Milburn declared: The people have put a lot of faith in the Labour Government pledge to improve the Health Service and we make no apology in seeking your personal support on this.

We dont expect to be disappointed.