St Michael's Decision Deferred Again

1.03.17pm GMT Sat 8th Mar 2008

April Pond, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman for Broadland and Liz Jones, Chair of Aylsham Town Council, spoke to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee today (Thursday) on the Primary Care Trust's proposed closure of St Michael's Hospital, Aylsham.

After several meetings of a working party, April had put forward a proposal to keep St. Michael's open for 5 years and to review possible closure then.

April said: "This seems to me a sensible solution which enables the PCT's plans for community based care to be put in force, while providing a safety net of community Hospital beds for Norfolk. However, the PCT denied they had even been asked to do this, although witnessed by the rest of the action group comprising Town, District and County Councillors.

"The Scrutiny Committee was not amused by this and other signs that the PCT had not sought a compromise solution. They told the PCT to go back to the drawing board and come back in July."