Carroll takes hospital message to health chief

7.00.00pm GMT Tue 16th Dec 2008

The Liberal Democrat Campaigner for Maidstone Peter Carroll has delivered two major petitions to Mr Glenn Douglas, Chief Executive of the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust. He was accompanied by Cllr Fran Wilson who leads the Lib Dems on Maidstone Borough Council. The first petition, with over 3,000 signatures calls on the Trust to keep health services at the Maidstone Hospital. The second specifically calls on the Trust to keep a consultant lead maternity unit at Maidstone. There are plans to 'downgrade' the maternity unit to a midwife lead facility which would mean that complicated births or emergency maternity situations would have to be taken to Pembury. The petitions have been gathered over recent months.

Peter Carroll said, 'The size of these petitions demonstrate just how much local people want Maidstone Hospital to have a full range of services. In particular, they show there is very strong opposition to the downgrading of maternity at Maidstone'.

Cllr Fran Wilson said, 'We were very well received by Mr Douglas. It was evident that he understood the strength of feeling amongst local people on this issue. Mr Douglas is making great strides in 'turning round' the hospital after its recent very serious problems.'

Peter Carroll added, 'I understand that there are clinical and financial arguments behind the Trust's plans. However, I believe that sometimes it is more important to provide services locally, even if this is slightly more costly. The NHS belongs to the people and those running it should not underestimate the right of local people to have their services provided locally. Mr Douglas explained that a major factor in the changes was the national lack of appropriately qualified staff. I understand this, but feel strongly that the Government should be training staff in sufficient numbers to allow full local provision of services'.

During the half hour meeting, Peter Carroll pointed out that similar plans to downgrade maternity services in Sussex had been overthrown after a sustained and well organised campaign by the local community. Peter said, 'Mr Douglas acknowledged the strength of public feeling on this issue - particularly maternity services. Mr Douglas gave an undertaking to work with the local community on how any changes were implemented. However, I stand by my view that the local community do not want a 'downgraded' maternity service at all. Mr Douglas also re-iterated that a consultant lead A&E service will be maintained at the hospital. Myself and the Lib Dem team are committed to fighting to keep a full maternity service at Maidstone and to keep a full set of core services in the hospital'.