1600 back Brookfields (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

1600 back Brookfields

October 15, 2007 9:52 AM

Cambridge MP David Howarth and local health campaigners have presented a more than 1600 name petition calling for in-patient wards for the elderly at Brookfields Hospital to be saved.

Mr Howarth was joined by local resident Gill Rose and Lib Dem Health Spokesperson Councillor Geoff Heathcock presented the petition to representatives of Cambridgeshire Primary Care Trust. The pre-consultation on the future of Brookfields Hospital closed on Friday.

Mr Howarth said:

"Many concerned local residents have contacted me and many more have signed this petition to save in-patient treatment at Brookfields Hospital. For those patients who need in-patient rehabilitation care, these plans would mean that they would face weeks of treatment in other parts of the county, away from family and friends.

"I hope that the PCT listens to the concerns of local residents and saves these wards."

Coun Heathcock commented:

"A lot of views have been expressed up front about the future of this hospital - I implore the PCT to listen very carefully a given this hospital a guaranteed future."

Yesterday in Parliament, David Howarth criticised the fact that wards in Brookfields Hospital face closure while NHS money is unspent in other parts of the country. He added:

David Howarth, Geoff Heathcock and Gill Rose present the petition to the PCT

The campaigners present the petition to the PCT

"Health services in Cambridge have been cut and wards in Brookfields Hospital are faced with closure yet in other areas of the country over £900 million of NHS money is going unspent. It makes whatsoever to close hospitals in one part of the country while vast amounts of public money is unspent elsewhere."