Jeremy
Hunt
Secretary
of State for Health
Department
of Health
Richmond
House
79
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS
Your
address
date
Dear
Jeremy Hunt,
I
am writing to you about the proposed closures at Lewisham Hospital of
Accident and Emergency and Maternity Services.
You
and David Cameron have confirmed that no closure will take place if
the proposed service reorganisation does not meet the Secretary for
Health's Four Tests. As I understand it Matthew Kershaw and his
team's recommendations do not fulfil the requirements set out.
Despite an
enormous budget that escalated dramatically, the TSA did not provide
adequate resources to properly engage with Lewisham's diverse
population and so you have not received a fair representation of our
needs.
My
family rely on the acute services provided at Lewisham Hospital. We
demand that these services are kept local for the Lewisham
population. The result of closure will be that people will delay
going to A&E so their health will suffer because they won't
receive the medical attention they require when they are most at need.
I
also believe that women in Lewisham should be able to give birth in
Lewisham in the safe knowledge that the delivery will be supported by
the best medical attention they require.
It
is unacceptable that an entire London Borough be asked to travel to
Woolwich to receive emergency care. It will be very dangerous to
burden the surrounding areas with the extra capacity of Lewisham
patients.
I have heard
much about patient choice over the last few weeks. Matthew Kershaw's
recommendations reduce choice for our entire community.
I urge you to
take our views into account. The recommendations do not have the
support of patients, doctors, GP commissioners or the public.
Yours
sincerely,
Lewisham Resident
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