Telford MP David Wright slams Government health move
Telford MP David Wright has vowed to oppose in Parliament any moves by the Government to take powers over Accident & Emergency departments away from local health professionals.
Mr Wright has said he will oppose Chapter 4 and clause 118 of the Care Bill currently going through Parliament which will make it possible to close viable hospitals without proper consultation.
The move by the Government comes after Jeremy Hunt lost his appeal against closing Lewisham Accident and Emergency. The law that protected it would be removed if Clause 118 passes.
David Wright MP said:
“David Cameron promised before the last election that there would be no top-down reorganisation of the NHS and yet now we find that Ministers want to interfere in local decision-making more than ever before. Jeremy Hunt needs to stop trying to close hospital Accident & Emergency departments and, instead, make sure the investment is there for them to continue.
“I trust my Conservative colleagues will be voting against this as well because these decisions should be taken for the good of the local population and by local health professionals not by Ministers sitting behind their desks in Whitehall trying to safe face. If it becomes law, this Clause means that no hospital will be safe, no matter how successful."
The Clause, if passed, will allow the government to close or downgrade any hospital in the country, with barely any consultation of local people. They will be able to appoint an administrator to one Trust who will be able to take decisions to fast-track the closure of hospitals in another area - no matter how successful or popular those hospitals are - using the 'unsustainable provider' legislation that was designed only for insolvent Trusts.
