Jonathan Djanogly the MP for the Huntingdon Constituency together with Shailesh Vara, MP for North West Cambridgeshire spoke at a rally and march in support of Hinchingbrooke Hospital on 7 October 2006.
Speaking from the platform to an audience comprised of hospital workers, local politicians of all Parties, trade unionists and many hundreds of local people Mr Djanogly said:
"Today, purely and simply, is an opportunity for us the people of Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire to show our support for Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
The facts are that the Strategic Health Authority and Hospital Trust are conducting an urgent review of Hinchingbrooke. We do not yet know what they will propose - but we can only fear the worst being closure or possibly cuts in the level of service.
Of course the cuts have started, with ward closures, 70 less beds in the last 18 months, hundreds of redundancies and management changes. These are painful cuts for the staff. The low morale in the Hospital reflects this - but we here today want you the staff to know that we believe in you, we value what you do for the community and are with you.
But we also need to be very clear here that short term belt tightening must not be confused with conducting a strategic review. This should be conducted, not on the basis of resolving the short term financial position but on the basis of the long term medical needs of the people of Huntingdonshire.
This is the fastest growing area of the country - if the government can force thousands of homes to be built here then they can pay for the medical facilities for the people who are going to live in these homes, quite apart from the existing community. We need better facilities in Huntingdonshire - not worse ones.
I urge everyone to sign the petitions being circulated and to write to the SHA to voice our concerns."