Local MP’s join campaign to keep A&E services

Local MPs David Rutley, George Osborne, Andrew Bingham and Fiona Bruce have pledged their strong support to the campaign to keep Accident & Emergency services at Macclesfield Hospital.

At a meeting in the House of Commons on Monday, the MPs set out their concerns about options which are currently being considered to downgrade Accident & Emergency services at Macclesfield Hospital to an Urgent Care Centre. The MPs, who represent communities which depend on Macclesfield Hospital for A&E Services, including: Macclesfield, Knutsford, Congleton and Buxton, have particular concerns about increased travel times for local residents to access A&E services and the impact this would have on patient safety.

The campaign has been launched in response to the final NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan for Cheshire & Merseyside report which was published on 16^th November. The report sets out that future plans for emergency care are being developed for Macclesfield Hospital in the months ahead, including options involving an Accident & Emergency department, as we have today, or an Urgent Care Centre.

The MPs also expressed their concerns about the lack of detail on what services would be provided by such an Urgent Care Centre. This downgrade in services would probably lead to emergency services being provided by GPs rather than being staffed by Consultants in Emergency Services, as is currently the case. The MPs are concerned about the risks to patient safety and are asking local health service leaders to set out specific details on the options that are currently being considered.

David is working with Cheshire East Council, the Macclesfield Express, Silk FM and the Treacle Market to encourage local residents to join the campaign to keep A&E Services at Macclesfield. He is giving his backing to a new petition that calls on health service providers to abandon any moves to downgrade Macclesfield Hospital’s A&E unit. This will complement the existing online petition, which already has over 8,000 signatories: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171296

Following the meeting, David said: “I am pleased that local MPs have added their full support to the campaign to keep A&E services in Macclesfield. It further demonstrates the strength of local opinion about the need to retain vital services at our local hospital.”