Campaigner to plea to council chiefs over A&E services (From Bucks Free Press)

Campaigner to plea to council chiefs over Wycombe Hospital's A&E services

9:00am Thursday 12th July 2012 in Health By Simon Farr

A CAMPAIGNER is set to make an impassioned plea to county council chiefs about new urgent care services at Wycombe Hospital – after thousands put their names to a petition.

Wycombe District Cllr Tony Green will have four minutes to make representations to Buckinghamshire County Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee tomorrow about the future staffing levels and facilities at the hospital’s former A&E ward.

He secured the debate after 6,879 people signed a petition demanding the ward remain open 24-hours after it is downgraded to a minor injuries and illnesses unit.

NHS chiefs were considering shutting the unit overnight as part of wider changes, but have accepted the "clear public demand" to keep it open.

The new unit will replace the emergency medical centre which is currently staffed by A&E doctors, who will be replaced by GPs.

Cllr Green said: “I will explain why the Save Our Hospital Services group started the petition and that the huge number of people who signed it shows the concern in the community about the lack of emergency care.

“The petition seems to have provided us with some sort of success, so we appear to have won on the 24/7 front, but the question is at what sort of level of facilities and staffing.

“Someone who has had an accident, a fracture or has concerns about their health should be able to have the right treatment available to them.”

The Free Press began the campaign for 24/7 opening hours at the new GP-led unit, which was backed by hundreds of readers.

This was followed up by Cllr Green’s successful petition on behalf of the Save Our Hospital Services group, chaired by BFP editor Steve Cohen.

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