Huntingdon Constituency MP, Jonathan Djanogly, issued the following press statement regarding the ongoing speculation over the future of Hinchingbrooke hospital.
"I will fight any attempt to close Hinchingbrooke hospital. However, as at the current time, I have received no formal or informal notification that a closure is on the cards or even likely.
What I understand is happening is that the hospital and the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) are to be reviewing service provision. I do have serious concerns that certain services, such as Acute Services, may be at risk as a result of such review.
I remain fully supportive of Hinchingbrooke retaining its Accident and Emergency department and Acute Services. To this end I have been regularly meeting with executive management and Trust board members. I have also met with hospital consultants to discuss the clinical implications of the review and I am in touch with both the PCT and SHA. I am also co-ordinating my action with other local MP's and Councils.
My main immediate concern is that the urgent and painful steps that the hospital is being forced to take, in order to deal with its immediate financial problems, should not be confused with the longer term medical needs of the local population. To this end, I have asked all relevant parties that any review proposals should be subject to full public consultation.
From my point of view, with a rapidly expanding local population and housing base, a full service Hinchingbrooke hospital will become more, not less important to Huntingdonshire"."