Many of you have contacted me in recent weeks concerned about decisions which you understand may have been made regarding the future of Leek Moorlands Hospital. Many of the rumours are alarming and that was why I asked the Prime Minister directly to join my campaign to keep the Leek Moorlands Hospital in Leek with more services.
To find out what is going on, I asked the leaders of the local Clinical Commissioning Group to meet me and Councillor Sybil Ralphs last week where we were reassured that no decisions have yet been made and that these are indeed only rumours.
Following the consultation and the feedback report, there are many assurance processes to go through and the CCG aims to complete these by the end of November. The aim is to take the final consultation findings to an Extra Ordinary Governing Body in Public in December and at this point, the Governing Bodies will consider options and decide. Until that point, any rumour that you may hear is just that, a rumour. And quite rightly, decisions will be taken by the people that deliver care, who will take those decisions in ways that improve healthcare in the Moorlands. I am closely monitoring the process to make sure it is followed rigorously.
I am clear, we need to keep the Leek Moorlands Hospital in Leek and we need to make sure that the right, wide range of services are in place to meet the needs of local people.
On a different note, I will be organising another coach trip to Parliament in October for residents in Staffordshire Moorlands. The trip offers an opportunity to join me on a tour of Parliament and visit some areas which are not normally open to the public. Please phone 01538 382421 or email karen.bradley.mp@parliament.uk for further information.