April Holds Meeting with PCT over Community Hospitals Crisis

8.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Jun 2007

Having attended all the consultation meetings for St Michaels Community Hospital in Aylsham, and Cranmer House in Fakenham, April felt that there was no real opportunity to ask, and have answered, all relevant questions which she wanted to put to the Primary Care Trust. She asked for a proper meeting to do so, and this was held on June 4th.

April asked Dr Chris Pearce from St. Michael's and Celia Lee, representing Friends of Cranmer House, to come too, as they both felt they had not been listened to either. Shelia Childerhouse, Chair of the Norfolk PCT and two other board members also attended.

April said: "I have felt from the start that what we are told and what we see do not match. The financial savings which the PCT say they are going to make will not happen and, more to the point, a wonderful service to Norfolk people is going to be lost forever if we don't stop these closures. Vulnerable patients are going to be at serious risk, and nothing I have heard from the Primary Care Trust makes me believe otherwise."