“Children’s ward closure must be stopped”

Gordon Birtwistle MP has welcomed todays announcement by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley that changes to NHS services must be led by local people and not driven from the top down.

“The new Secretary of State has given clear instructions to the trust”, he said.  “They have been told that plans for any changes must meet these new criteria which include considering patient choice and support from local GPs.”

“I’m arranging a rapid meeting with the Chief Executive of East Lancashire Health Trust to ensure that the planned closure of the Children’s ward is put on hold so that  it can be considered under these new criteria.  I will also be urging that the closure of emergency A&E services at Burnley be reconsidered in the light of these new criteria and the report from experts at the College of Emergency Medicine that the policy of A&E downgrading was based on flawed evidence.”

Just 15 days ago Gordon was elected as Burnley and Padiham’s new MP after a 3 year campaign against health service cuts in the town.  He led a march of hundreds of local people against the closure of the children’s ward earlier this year. One of his first actions as our new MP was to write to the new Secretary of State for Health saying he should honour election pledges to cancel the closure of the Children’s ward and reverse the closure of the Emergency A&E service at Burnley hospital.

“On May 6^th people in Burnley and Padiham voted for change”, said Gordon.  “Now, just 15 days later they can see how change is starting to be delivered.”

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