Hague urges Friarage Hospital "solution" (From The Northern Echo)

Hague urges Friarage Hospital "solution"

10:00am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Northallerton News By Emily Flanagan, Reporter

FOREIGN Secretary William Hague yesterday urged health bosses to come up with a “unique solution” to keep threatened services at one of the region’s hospitals.

The Richmond MP met council leaders to discuss the future of Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital.

Health chiefs are considering downgrading children’s services to outpatients only, a move that would result in the hospital’s maternity unit becoming a midwife-led unit for straightforward births only.

Following discussions with council leaders at Hambleton’s Civic Centre, in Northallerton, Mr Hague said he was worried about the proposals and the distances people would have to travel to other hospitals.

He said there were large numbers of young families in Catterick Garrison who could be quite isolated, with poor public transport access.

He said: “We were completely united in our concerns, particularly about the huge distances that will be involved for people in the Dales.”

Mr Hague this week met Health Secretary Andrew Lansley for the second time to discuss the Friarage Hospital.

Mr Lansley will be visiting Hawes, in Wensleydale, in March and Mr Hague said he would be able to address some of the concerns on his visit.

The MP has also met South Tees Hospital Trust, which runs the Friarage, and urged officials to look at other options to downgrading the services.

He said the heart of the problem was to get the consultants with the necessary experience and training to keep the services there.

“I’ve already said to the trust they may have to come up with a unique solution to that,” Mr Hague said.

“There could be a journey of 60 miles for some people – that’s one of the longest in England – so I think they have to work out what the alternative is.”

Richmondshire District Council leader Councillor John Blackie was present at the meeting, along with the leaders of North Yorkshire County Council and Hambleton District Council.

Coun Blackie said Mr Hague had accepted an invitation from him to address a family rally planned in Northallerton in April over the proposed changes.

He said: “The meeting has cemented a united front of three councils – Richmondshire, Hambleton and North Yorkshire – which are standing united with their local MP.”

Dr Vicky Pleydell, a GP and member of the Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group, welcomed Mr Hague’s involvement and said they would be talking to everyone with an interest in the issue over the coming weeks.

She said: “We are doing everything we can to find the best possible solution to problems which are outside our control.”