News story

10th March 2005

Huge Response to Last Ditch Campaign for Frenchay

South Gloucestershire residents are rallying round in a last ditch attempt to save Frenchay Hospital in advance of a crucial meeting on Monday (14th March). Northavon MP Steve Webb said his office had been swamped by e-mails, letters and petitions from local people demanding a reprieve for the hospital, threatened with being "downgraded" as part of plans for a major shake-up of local hospitals.

The MP, whose constituency includes Frenchay, is encouraging local people to attend the decision-making meeting to be held at the Beeches Hotel, Brislington on Monday to register their views. The meeting will be attended by the chairs of the four local Primary Care Trusts and the two hospital trusts covered by the Bristol Health Services Plan.

Commenting, Steve Webb said:

"I have never seen such a huge response on a local issue. People clearly, and rightly, feel passionately that it would be a mistake to downgrade South Gloucestershire's only major hospital. The most common comment has been to ask if any of those making the decision have ever tried to get from Yate or Chipping Sodbury to Southmead in the Rush Hour. Access to 24 hour A&E is of vital importance, and the current plans will deprive tens of thousands of people of the level of access that they have the right to expect".

The MP added that hundreds of local people had been in touch directly with the local NHS Trusts and that he hoped that they would now pay full attention to what local people were saying.