When, last year, the local NHS announced that they were moving some services from St Peter’s, we were all assured that these changes reflected the immediate needs of the service for the winter period, were temporary in nature and would only affect inpatient provision. I therefore accepted that, in the interests of staff and quality of patient care, the changes were necessary on a temporary basis.
I am extremely disappointed to learn that it is now proposed to make these changes permanent and possibly to close the hospital to outpatients. I am not prepared to stand by and allow essential local health services for my constituents just disappear.
I recognise that the existing stroke rehabilitation beds at St Peter’s are intended to serve the whole of Mid Essex and are arguably better provided in a more modern community hospital. However, while the use of the maternity unit has dropped dramatically in recent years, I can appreciate that expectant mothers in the District still want the choice of a local midwife-led maternity unit which will be denied if it is moved to Braintree. In addition, the loss of local provision of essential outpatient services such as X-ray, blood tests, diagnostics and physiotherapy is unacceptable unless and until an alternative local site can be found.
I helped campaign against the closure of the St Peter’s maternity unit many years ago and have been pressing for a new community hospital in Maldon for over 20 years. Yet , despite public meetings, debates and assurances being given, progress in finding a replacement has been consistently thwarted by pressure on funding, the difficulty in finding a suitable site, or gaining the necessary permissions. St Peter’s was bult as a workhouse in 1872 and the building has deteriorated badly in recent years. The need for a replacement has become steadily more urgent and I am incredibly frustrated that repeated promises have so far, come to nothing. If it is decided to proceed with closure plans, there will have to be a consultation period of at least 8 weeks and I urge people to respond. I will also be having urgent meetings with local NHS chiefs in the next few days and intend to arrange a public meeting and to raise the matter in Parliament.
Sir John pictured outside St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon
