The Campaign for Health Services in Aylsham Goes On

4.32.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 5th Sep 2008

April Pond says the Lib Dems will keep campaigning for a fair deal for local health services in Aylsham and Broadland.

THE Massive battle to save St. Michael's Community Hospital from the threat of closure ended yesterday with the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) made up of County and District Councillors, voting to agree the decision of the Primary Care Trust - (NHS Norfolk) to close the hospital when various conditions are meet.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Broadland, April Pond, commented: "We fought very hard to get the PCT to take heed of the huge amount of evidence that points to the closure of St. Michael's being disastrous for Norfolk. Once again today, we asked the scrutiny committee to send the decision back to the Secretary of State for Health for his intervention. The scrutiny committee chose not to, although they were still unhappy with what they heard from the PCT."

April added: "The Finnamore Report commissioned by the PCT, states quite clearly that by 2013, there will be a shortfall of beds, but this has been ignored. What we have managed to achieve however is a promise, in writing, and passed by the PCT Board, that St Michael's will close only when:

· The new health centre on the Aylsham Care Trust site opens

· A minimum of 5 beds commissioned by the PCT from ACT are ready

· The specialist stroke unit is up and running

· The community based service at home is working properly

We heard today from ACT that this may not be until 2011."

April also outlined that she will be working with Lib Dem County Councillor for Aylsham David Harrison, to find out local people's views, explaining: "We are conducting a survey to find out what local people in Aylsham feel about the alternative provisions planned by Norfolk PCT."

April concluded: "This has been a very disappointing day for us all, but all the campaigning has given us several more years of the hospital remaining open. We need to use this time to keep up the pressure on Norfolk PCT - so that they look again at their decision.

A huge thank you to everyone in Aylsham who has written letters to the Health Secretary, signed petitions and supported this campaign in so many different ways over the last few years."