"It Would Be Criminal to Cut The Royal Surrey" Say Guildford Liberal Democrats

9.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 4th Oct 2006

Sue Doughty, Parliamentary Spokersperson for Guildford & Professor Steve Webb MP, listen to the people of Guildford about their views on the threat of A&E closure at Royal Surrey County Hospital at Guildford College, Monday 2nd October 2006

Sue Doughty, Parliamentary Spokesperson for Guildford and Professor Steve Webb MP, the Liberal Democrat front bench spokesman on health visited the Royal Surrey County Hospital yesterday and then addressed a packed hall of local people.

Sue Doughty said: "The Royal Surrey County Hospital is amongst the best in the country. It has improved out of all recognition. Proposals for cut backs would see health care go backwards and there is no justification for this. Peoples' lives will be put at risk if A & E is closed and indeed the heart would be taken out of the hospital as other departments would also close."

Steve Webb praised the hospital, describing it as excellent and an example of the care which he would like to see for everyone. He said "This hospital is doing a fine job, it would be criminal if it were to be closed." He strongly questioned the accuracy of the estimated savings which would be made and the logic behind the proposals. "The Cancer unit cannot be easily moved and the costs of setting up a new unit must be taken into account," he added.

The meeting gave the opportunity for local people to say what they think should happen in the forthcoming consultation on health care and was called by local Liberal Democrats.

A new Royal Surrey Action Group is being set up and Sue has agreed to join the campaign which she believes must be cross community with the support of clinicians, local politicians, business, and the many groups which make up Guildford. She also pledged that all donations which she has received towards her campaign will be used to support the fight to save the hospital.

Also present at the meeting was local Unison Representative Mick Moriarty who pledged their support to the campaign.

The audience was shocked to hear a statement from the Primary Care Trust, who did not send a speaker along, that did not rule out the closure of either the Royal Surrey County Hospital or St Peters, Chertsey. Speakers in the audience made a powerful case for the group to oppose closure of either hospital which would lead to unmanageable pressure on the remaining hospital.