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Campaigns kept Edgware Community Hospital open (From Harrow Times)
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Campaigns kept Edgware Community Hospital open
11:46am Friday 12th March 2010
Perhaps Mrs Lewis enjoys good health, which is great (‘We have heard it all before’, Your Views, February 16).
But if she didn’t, she might know that Edgware Community Hospital is still very much open and offering excellent services.
The hospital has never been closed thanks to the efforts of concerned constituents led by Tony McNulty and other local MPs who campaigned to keep it open.
Jean Bartoli, Windsor Close, Northwood
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TheWiseOne, Edgware says...
1:28pm Fri 12 Mar 10
However, when the Conseratives and Stephen Dorrell issued the death knell of the hospital in 1997, Mr McNulty promised to keep it open - in its old form with A & E services. This flew in the face of the concerns from campaigners and Sir John Gorst who was extremely vocal against closure despite his party line being the opposite. We were concerned that Northwick Park, Barnet and Royal Free not being able to cope if the A & E services were removed.
Since then Mount Vernon was lost, putting more strain on Northwick Park and if there are cuts to Northwick Park - which I hope does not happen - those people who supported Edgware & Mount Vernon would say, our worries were justified and no-one listened. These types of cuts affects the services of everyone in our borough, not just those who happen to live near them. It creates more demand on our one A & E, longer waiting times as more people have no option but to go there. People in Kenton, Pinner, Northwood and Ruislip should be concerned.
When Mr McNulty got elected, we were told the Conservatives plan was too far in and apparently it could not be reversed. Therefore, we was promised a minor accidents unit - previously known as "MATS" in NHS management speak or to us on the street, "Minor Accidents Trauma Service" - that would be open 24 hours.
Lo and behold, 18 months later, this was reduced to the current 16 hours (7am-10pm). Another volte face on promises by a political MP and party.
To be honest, I hope an independent who values the local community comes forward and puts the community at the forefront and cares to listen to their views and concerns. This would be refreshing from the usual bluster from those associated with political parties.
I'll give the Conservatives a bit of credit, we do need change. But they are not the answer either. Change needs to happen to the whole system, which it is worth noting the Conservatives rejected to.