Cuts to hospitals across the area are putting dangerous pressure on East Surrey Hospital, says a former paramedic who is campaigning to save services - reports the Surrey Mirror.
Ken Callanan spoke to the Mirror after delivering a 112,754-strong petition to 10 Downing Street on Saturday.
The petition urges Prime Minister Tony Blair to safeguard the county's accident and emergency (A&E) departments,maternity and paediatric units.
And Mr Callanan said that East Surrey Hospital, in Redhill, was being put under huge strain by Government cuts at other hospitals, particularly after Crawley Hospital's A&E was downgraded.
He said: "My main concern from the point of view of East Surrey is that the hospital is under a lot of extra pressure because it has to treat people who previously would have been treated at Crawley Hospital.
"I have had phone calls and e-mails from nursing staff and a doctor from East Surrey who say that since the A&E at Crawley was downgraded and the maternity unit was transferred [last year] it has put a lot of pressure on them. It's very unfair on staff at East Surrey."
A&E services at that hospital, The Royal Surrey,in Guildford, St Peter's at Chertsey, and Frimley Park are all under review.
Mr Callanan fears more A&E departments, maternity and paediatric units could shut or be downgraded.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment