A & E cut support defies public opinion

There’s only one thing worse than not having the opportunity to voice your opinion. It’s being told your opinion does count, then having it ignored.

The decision by Newark and Sherwood District Council to support the downgrading of Newark Hospital A & E, endorsing the decision to close it completely between midnight and 7am flies in the face of local opinion.

In the space of a few short weeks thousands signed petitions protesting against the moves by NHS Nottinghamshire County to downgrade the A & E department.

Public meetings, held to allow people to express their views, were attended by local residents angry and concerned about what many perceive as yet another step towards full closure of the hospital. And still nothing changes.

Where is the support for the people of Newark and surrounding area from their MP, or district council?

They have gone along with the wishes of the Primary Care Trust, regardless of the public’s view.

In March 2009 the PCT stated how well NHS providers in Newark were doing and we were promised a review of local health services to plan for the proposed expansion of the town.

It is, therefore, clear that, regardless of the arguments put forward about quality of service, this move is ultimately about cost.

The NHS in Nottinghamshire has seen a decade of unprecedented investment and improvement.

But the global financial crisis which we have experienced as a nation means that savings have to be made somewhere.

Those of us working within the health service are aware that the NHS is readying itself for a possible change of government and stringent financial cuts after the General Election.

The unknown is how large the cuts will be. The known is that Newark is first in line.