Macclesfield MP hands over petition to save NHS service
A PETITION signed by thousands calling for the town’s mental health unit to be protected has been delivered to NHS bosses.
Macclesfield MP David Rutley handed over the petition, signed by 2,800 residents, campaigning to keep acute inpatients beds in Macclesfield.
Under controversial proposals, either inpatient adult mental health or specialist dementia care will move more than 40 miles away to Chester.
The option favoured by NHS bosses would be to move dementia services to Lime Walk House, off Victoria Road in Macclesfield with the other service going to Chester.
Alongside members of East Cheshire Mental Health Forum, who organised the petition, Mr Rutley delivered it Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (ECCCG) to ask them to commit to keeping the unit open.
The handover took place at ECCCG’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Macclesfield Town Hall.
Michael Heale, chair of East Cheshire Mental Health Forum, said: “We all hope for something positive to happen. I hope that the Clinical Commissioning Group is listening!”
Mr Rutley said the Millbrook Unit is ‘vital’.
He said: “I would like to thank Michael Heale and all at East Cheshire Mental Health Forum for their tireless commitment to promoting this petition. As the strong response to the petition clearly demonstrates, there is widespread concern across local communities about the proposals to move the last remaining adult inpatient beds in East Cheshire to Chester.
“It is vital that local health service leaders reflect on this clear strength of public opinion and bring forward improved proposals that would enable local patients to receive treatment within their local community, and closer to their families and carers.
“Local residents can be assured that I will continue to campaign to this vital end.”
A report on the 12-week consultation into the Millbrook Unit, which took place earlier this year, is due this month.
After the report is published, a business case will be prepared and sent to the governing bodies of each consulting CCG before a final decision, later this year.