I have been out and about talking to local residents and many people have asked me what is happening with Leek Moorlands Hospital.
My family and I have always used Leek Moorlands Hospital and I would always want to be treated there. We are extremely fortunate to have such an excellent facility right on our doorstep and this is one of the most important issues that has arisen since I was elected. I have been fighting relentlessly to retain our local hospital and also to get enhanced services in place.
Over the years, I have met regularly with senior health officials, raised the issue in Parliament with Prime Ministers, Health Secretaries and Ministers and have brought many of them to Staffordshire Moorlands to see for themselves what a very special facility we have here.
Following the consultation and the feedback report, there are many assurance processes to go through and the CCG aimed to complete these by the end of November and take the final consultation findings to an Extra Ordinary Governing Body in Public in December.
Unfortunately, the pre-election period impacts on a number of activities that were due to take place which will now have to be postponed until the after the Election on 12th December. This includes the Extra Ordinary Governing Body meeting to consider the Decision-Making Business Case on the future of Local Health Services in North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Please be assured that Leek Moorlands Hospital continues to be high on my radar. 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.
The people of the Moorlands deserve high quality modern health care and I will continue to be a loud, clear voice on your behalf to make sure that we have a hospital and hub with the very best healthcare, fit for the 21st century.