Bid to stop hospital closure plan

Lib-Dem April Pond campaigns to save Aylsham Hospital

The Health Secretary has been urged to help save a Norfolk community hospital from being closed.

Norfolk Primary Care Trust's board decided at a meeting in July to shut St Michael's Hospital, Aylsham, by 2009.

The Liberal Democrat's Broadland area spokesman took 1,143 letters from local residents opposing the closure, to hand to the Health Secretary Alan Johnson.

The PCT has said the hospital services will be replaced by community-based care teams.

I never expected such a strong response... it's indicative of how passionately they feel April Pond, Lib-Dem Broadland spokesman

Lib-Dem spokesman for Broadland, April Pond, went to Whitehall to hand in the letters.

"Since the PCT said it was going to close Aylsham [hospital] I went to the villages around the area and asked people to write to the Department of Health.

"I never expected such a strong response, but it's indicative of how passionately they feel about keeping this open."

Mark Taylor, from the PCT, said the closure decision was right.

"I believe we have struck a balance between the strategic aims of the board and the views of the people who took part in our public consultation.

"We understand the people of Aylsham are disappointed but we feel that this move will enable us to give more support to people in their homes and significantly enhance their rehabilitation experience," he said.

Bed blocking

Norman Lamb, the North Norfolk MP and Lib-Dem health spokesman, said hospitals like St Michael's save the NHS money in the long run.

"At the same time they are closing beds at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, about 70 or 80 people facing delayed discharge every week.

"That's people blocking beds," he said.

"The crazy thing is that it costs the NHS far more to have a patient stuck at the N&N if they're not ready for home, then it's much better for them to go to a community hospital."