Heatherwood Hospital campaigners fear further closures

Concerns have been raised by a campaign group over changes to the services offered at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot.

Save Heatherwood Hospital campaigners say they are 'furious' with NHS commissioners over the closure of services at the Ascot hospital and have criticised the Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for not consulting the public.

The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at the hospital closed on Sunday, April 6, and ward eight and the Ascot Birth Centre have also been shut.

A petition containing more than 1,000 signatures was handed to the CCG at its Governing Body Meeting on Wednesday, April 9, opposing the closure of services without proven adequate alternatives.

It also stated signatories do not want a private company to run local NHS services, and called upon the CCG to engage in a meaningful dialogue with local people.

At the meeting, Dr William Tong, chairman of the CCG, said he supported the 'provision of elective surgery' at Heatherwood Hospital, 'nothing more, nothing less' - which the campaign believes could lead to the closure of more services.

The meeting took place at Easthampstead House, in Bracknell.

Spike Humphrey, a member of Save Heatherwood Hospital, said:

"There is a general feeling that we don't know what is going on, that's the real public concern, and what was said at the meeting shed some light on that.

"For them to make this decision without a public consultation is completely out of order."

Dr William Tong, clinical chairman of the CCG, said:

"I repeated our commissioner commitment to developing the Heatherwood site as an elective surgery site which will be really good news for our local communities.

The current services at Heatherwood are already concentrated around elective surgery. A purpose-built hospital will be capable of providing care for patients that is efficient, of the best quality and in a caring environment."

He added discussions with Frimley Park Hospital about the acquisition of the trust which runs Heatherwood were still ongoing but no details had been agreed.

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Read the original story online at The Windsor Express website