What the media says about me...

"Gordon Prentice: serial rebel, serious parliamentarian, as irritating as a mosquito, as persistent as an itch."

Ann Treneman. The Times. May 2009

MP Calls for End to Hostilities Over Local NHS

Tags: Local Government | NHS | Press Release

Monday, 10 March 2008 00:00

Local MP, Gordon Prentice, has told Pendle and Burnley Councils to sit down with the local NHS chiefs and discuss their concerns about recent changes to the local health service. The MP says it is in no one's interests for a "war of attrition" to develop between the local authorities and the NHS. Both councils passed highly critical resolutions last month calling for the reinstatement of blue light A&E at Burnley General Hospital and for the sacking of the entire East Lancashire Hospital Trust Board. Speaking from Westminster earlier today, the MP said: "I do not want my local council, or Burnley, lobbing shells at the NHS from long range. I want the councils to spell out their concerns in detail so they can be addressed, across the table, by the NHS and with the involvement of doctors and clinicians." "I have therefore asked the East Lancs Primary Care Trust, as the NHS Commissioning body, to meet both councils as soon as can be arranged. The MP added: "Local people have two main concerns. The first is about the quality of the treatment they can expect and, secondly, about the distance people have to travel to get to the A&E at Blackburn. It is not just about getting patients there quickly and safely, there are issues for people visiting friends and relatives in hospital. Getting to a distant hospital can be a hassle." "Clearly, there needs to be a review of the changes that were made to the local NHS on 1 November last year which addresses people's concerns." "Almost 9 out of every 10 people who have an accident or emergency are treated at Burnley's Urgent Care Centre." "But people worry about the very serious accident or emergency cases and the capacity of the ambulance service to cope. The North West Ambulance Service have three state of the art new ambulances, the number they said they needed to provide a top class service." "I want the meetings between the Councils and the NHS to take place without delay." "The Councils can't call for the sacking of the entire hospital trust board and then continue with business as usual. This has got to be thrashed out." The MP met local health chiefs last week.