MP Issues New Year Challenge To Local Politicians

Warrington North MP HELEN JONES has issued a challenge to politicians of all parties in the town to support her in opposing any proposals to merge Warrington hospital with Whiston or any other Trust.

News of secret plans considering this option were first reported,  exclusively,  by the Warrington Guardian on 17 November when the Warrington North MP called for the resignation of both the chair and chief executive of the Strategic Health Authority for their ‘contemptuous’ attitude to people in the town.

Since then HELEN JONES has raised the issue with Warrington born Health Minister Liam Byrne in Parliament and the Leader of the Council,  Councillor John Joyce,  has supported her stance.  As reported in the Guardian on 15 December he said, ‘any attempt to change the current position might suit the NHS management,  but it won’t suit Warrington. ‘

The response from others has not been as encouraging.  LibDem spokesman,  Councillor Roy Smith,  did not oppose the proposals in his statement to the Guardian on 25 November and the Tory Party has failed to comment.

In issuing her New Year challenge HELEN JONES said:

"This is an issue which demands a clear and unequivocal answer from the town’s politicians.  We have been elected to represent the best interests of the people in the town and that is exactly what we should be doing now whilst these plans are at an early stage.  The Warrington Guardian was absolutely right in its November 17 editorial when it said,  ‘Both patients and visitors alike deserve to have treatment available as close as possible to where they live…Let’s hope these plans are quashed at the first available
opportunity.’

The Chief Executive of the SHA’s letter in the Guardian (29 December) failed to convince me that the issue is dead although I detect some backtracking,  thanks to negative reaction the leaking of these plans has engendered.   She asked people to stop talking about plans ‘until there are such plans published.’   Just because plans have been discussed but not published does not mean that they don’t exist.  What we need from both the SHA and the Hospital Board is a clear statement saying that this idea has not been considered and is a non-runner. 

I was delighted when council leader,  John Joyce,  spoke out in strong opposition to these plans.  Unfortunately his comments have not been echoed by other politicians.  The LibDem response seems to have been a classic act of fence sitting and I have not seen any comment at all from the Conservatives.  This simply won’t do.  I,  therefore,  challenge the town’s politicians to join me in opposing any plans to merge our hospital with another Trust."