Macclesfield A&E services will be retained

Local health and care leaders have assured residents that the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department will be kept at Macclesfield Hospital.

Following recent articles in local media and significant public interest in the future of health care services in Eastern Cheshire, local health leaders and commissioners have moved to provide clarity on the future of the existing A&E department.

Neil Goodwin, independent chair of the Eastern Cheshire Caring Together programme, said: “East Cheshire NHS Trust (which runs Macclesfield Hospital), Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (mental health trust), NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG, GPs, Cheshire East Council and NHS England have been working together for some time now, through the Caring Together programme, to find a solution to ensure services are sustainable and to bring about real improvements to standards of care. There has already been significant public engagement on this.

 “The clear view is that the best model of care will include an A&E department at Macclesfield staffed by hospital doctors and clinicians. It is important that the Caring Together Board, working with local people and partners, now concentrates on ensuring we have a local care system which is as effective, efficient and innovative as possible.”

Dr Paul Bowen, CCG clinical chair, said:  “All partners have confirmed their commitment to this model. This allows us to focus on further transforming and integrating health and care services.  I hope this provides assurance for both patients and staff.”

Local MP, David Rutley, said  “I am grateful to Dr Neil Goodwin, Chair of Caring Together, for showing the clear leadership needed in coming to this decision. I would also like to thank Claire Gilham, who established the Parliamentary petition, for all her hard work, and the 9,500 people who signed the petition to oppose these vital services being downgraded.

“The support of local MPs, including George Osborne, Fiona Bruce, Andrew Bingham, and the strong voice of Cheshire East Council, have been invaluable in helping health service providers understand how important it is to keep Accident & Emergency services in Macclesfield. It is good to see that common sense has prevailed.”