Quartet on panel set up to fight for town hospital
A TOWN council has set up a health panel to fight for the retention of Leek Moorlands Hospital.
At the bi-monthly meeting of Leek Town Council last week members agreed that the panel should consist of Councillors Pam Wood, Charlotte Atkins, Brian Johnson and Stephen Wales.
Following the formation the new panel met just days later on Friday for their first time.
Speaking at the bi-monthly meeting of the town council, Councillor Pam Wood, said: “We should write to the Independent Review Panel (IRP) and also to NHS England who scrutinise the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) proposals.
“It has now been three to four years since this issue started and it has been delayed and delayed.
“Leek Town Council must make a public statement.”
Councillor Stephen Wales said he felt that there was a lack of support from Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has no one came to the special meeting on September 4 when they were invited.
He said: “We are not just talking about Leek. It is about the hospital which is there for everyone. We need to put pressure on the CCG.”
Councillor Roy Tomkinson proposed that a health panel be set up consisting of Councillors Wood, Atkins, Johnson and Wales.
He said: “These four senior people having been working on this subject. The panel will take us forward and also report back to the town council.”
Members voted to accept Mr Tomkinson’s proposal. A meeting of the panel then took place last Friday and a statement was issued to the Post & Times.
It said: “At a special meeting of Leek Town Council on September 4, attended by many members of the community, the town council agreed to fight to ensure that our locally based high quality health facilities are maintained to serve the town and district including a hospital complete with beds (for rehabilitation, intermediate care, step-up and end of life care) and a full range of services.
“The town council recognises the importance of Leek Moorlands Hospital and its service to our community. The hospital has been constantly updated over the years and is ‘fit for the future.’
“The town council will challenge the North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group where they consider that it has acted beyond its legal mandate in the closure of beds and relocation of services.
“The town council will regularly update the public by means of local press and social media, will seek to work with the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council on this matter and will ensure that the fight to save the hospital in its entirety is on every town council agenda. Extra meetings of the council will be arranged in order to debate relevant issues as they arise.
“The town council will lobby relevant bodies as and when necessary and will work with Save Leek Hospital Action Group to safeguard, maintain and improve our local hospital for the benefit of the whole community.”
For a full version of the council’s statement of intent visit the Leek Town Council website.