AMBULANCES will once again take patients living in the North and East Cotswolds to Cheltenham’s accident and emergency department at night, four months after health chiefs decided to close it to emergency patients.

From Monday, November 11 ambulances began taking patients, who are said to be in a stable condition, to Cheltenham rather than Gloucester.

Health chiefs backtracked on their original decision following months of pressure from campaigners and patient groups.

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Lib Dem, Churn Valley) has been calling for the closure to be lifted ever since the decision was made in July.

He said: “The fact remains that Cheltenham A&E still has limited opening times for emergency cases, many of whom still have to go to Gloucester instead. For a large swathe of the Cotswolds this simply isn’t a good enough service.

“Adding extra distance to the journey could make a difference to some emergency cases. A recent independent study showed that mortality rates rise by one per cent for every extra 10km travelled.”

However, the Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust has defended the closure saying it was for the benefit of the patients.

A spokesman said: “The night time changes to the emergency department at Cheltenham were devised by our clinical staff to provide more robust senior cover and a better safety for patients.”

Cllr Hodgkinson has since launched a petition to get the emergency department open to all patients during night time hours.

To sign the petition, visit www.change.org/petitions/nhs-foundation-trust-re-open-cheltenham-a-e.