News story
19th March 2004
MP to Debate Future of Frenchay with Ministers
Northavon MP Steve Webb has secured a debate in the House of Commons
next week on the future of Frenchay Hospital. The debate, which will
take place next Tuesday (23rd March) at the end of votes on the Budget,
will provide the MP with an opportunity to report to Parliament the
results of his large-scale survey of the views of constituents on
changes to the NHS. More than 8,000 local households responded to the
MP’s survey and registered their strong objection to plans by local
health chiefs to downgrade Frenchay to “community hospital” status and
to deprive it of its casualty department.
In addition to reporting the outcome of his survey, the MP will
challenge the Government over how it will respond to plans being drawn
up by the local NHS Trusts for local health services. Under present
plans, a “strategic outline case” will be sent by the local health
service to the Secretary of State for Health later this year, along with
bids from other parts of the country. He will then decide which ones
will receive initial approval to be developed more fully and will get
funding earmarked for them. Steve Webb will urge the Department of
Health to reject any bid which cuts the number of hospital beds
available to serve South Gloucestershire’s growing and ageing
population.
Speaking in advance of the debate, Steve Webb said:
“I am delighted to have this opportunity to report to Parliament the
results of my health survey and to challenge ministers about the way
ahead. I will urge them to look favourably on plans which secure vital
community facilities such as Thornbury Hospital and which develop
community facilities in the Yate and Chipping Sodbury area. But I will
urge them to reject any proposal to cut bed numbers when our local
health service is already so over-stretched.”
Under the rules of the debate, Steve Webb will have around 15 minutes to
put his case and then health minister Melanie Johnson—herself a former
Northavon resident—will have around 15 minutes to respond.
Click here to read the results of my
recent survey on planned changes to local hospital services.
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