The
Haslar Task Force this week met to consider the three proposals
which have been put forward by the Fareham & Gosport
PRIMARY Care Trust for secondary care on the Gosport peninsula.
On behalf of the Task Force its Chairman, Peter Viggers MP,
said, “What the people of Gosport want; and this they
have demonstrated in enormous numbers and with great force,
is that Haslar Hospital should remain open to provide the
widest available range of services to local people. There
are also many people who firmly believe that the Armed Forces
should still have a major input into the hospital.
“There have
been many national surveys in the provision of hospital
services. All of these indicate that patients
want services to be provided as locally as possible, but
that medical professionals want to centralise services and
provide specialised care in large district general hospitals.
“The Primary
Care Trust is consulting on options for hospital and secondary
care in the Fareham and Gosport area.
It has put forward three choices to local people but it has
failed to include what everyone wants.
“The preferred
option, demonstrated by a huge march of 22,000 residents
and confirmed by an unprecedented number
of letters, petitions, demonstrations and every other kind
of local action is for Haslar Hospital to remain open and
available to the people of South East Hampshire.
“The PCT
should address this issue. In deciding the way ahead it
should consider the advantages and disadvantages,
the cost and the medical implications of continuing Haslar
Hospital within the NHS.
“If the
PCT fails to address this option, which is the overwhelming
wish of all local people, it will never
be forgiven.” |
