Paul Keetch MP Calls For Action On Hospital Beds

12.00.00am GMT Mon 4th Feb 2002

Following the Health Authority, Acute Trust and Primary Care Trust's joint public meeting on Thursday 31st January there have been calls from all quarters for a petition to be presented to the Secretary of State calling on him to address the shortfall in beds that will be visited upon the new hospital when it becomes fully operational. Senior Doctors, Nurses and Staff are behind this call as they are the health professionals that are going to operate at the coalface of health care provision.

Paul Keetch commenting on this stated, " I have been in discussion with both the Trust's and the Health Authority as well as the Health Care Professionals and they are all extremely concerned over the shortage of Acute Beds that will come about when the new hospital comes on line. Infact they are all talking about a shortfall of some 120 beds. This is not acceptable, and I have written to the Secretary of State today demanding that a review of the situation is undertaken immediately."

Mr Keetch went onto say, " we are all very grateful that there has been a new hospital built here in Hereford, however, even in the earliest stages of its planning it was felt that there were insufficient beds to meet the requirements of Health Care Provision. I hope the Secretary of State will support this call, in the mean time, I am considering raising a petition and if anyone would like to support this please contact me:"

"Paul Keetch MP, 39 Widemarsh Street, Hereford. HR4 9EA."