9:14am Friday 24th August 2012
I, ALONG with several others, were very disappointed in the letter from Tony Walsh (Standard, August 16). He fails to grasp the concept of a petition which is to ask or lobby an organisation to listen to the needs and requests of the people.
Tony Walsh states that there will be 'no or little flexibility for this kind of development' so it would appear that there is a possibility.
Many of us remember the tireless campaigning of Dr Hardie when he first came to the front and saved the beds the first time they were under threat (how times have changed and not for the better I fear).
The letter also states that he, Tony Walsh, was surprised that neither the Tetbury Hospital Trust nor the PCT were informed of this petition. In fact the petition came about after a meeting with the local Commissioning Director of NHS Gloucestershire where he initially thought this was a good concept. However he then investigated and came back and stated that the Commissioning GPs said that this was not a priority for the South Cotswolds; he added that the previously commissioned nursing home beds were indeed very limited and not utilised fully.
After getting this response I did advise the Commissioner that we would be launching a petition to show not only the support but dispute the findings.
Hopefully Tony Walsh will remember the meeting of the Tetbury Patient Participation Group where Mrs Raines and myself advised all that the petition was going to take place. In fact should it not be the local GPs and the Tetbury Hospital Trust who should lead or indeed back this?
Also there is talk of a new surgery being funded via various housing projects so perhaps we could have what we were promised many years ago, which is a new surgery with hospital beds attached. But Tetbury at least deserves a few beds in a nursing home for step down as a minimum.
Perhaps this is a case of the tail wagging the dog and after all doctors recommend a second opinion!
KEVIN PAINTER Tetbury
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