Sarah Carr asks NHS Herefordshire not to build on Stonebow Unit gardens
11.42.29am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 11th Sep 2009
Hereford's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Sarah Carr has urged health service planners in Hereford to rethink their plans to build a controversial new GP Led Health Centre on a large section of the Stonebow Unit gardens. The Stonebow Unit located next to Hereford's County Hospital provides mental health inpatient services including care for dementia type illnesses for people in Herefordshire. The gardens are valued by patients and clinicians as being very beneficial to patients' recovery.
Sarah Carr said,
"Over the past 12 months I have repeatedly questioned the need for £1.5million being spent on a new health centre when we already have good availability of GPs in Hereford who are well known and trusted by their patients. I have now been contacted by many local people who are appalled that local health planners want to build the controversial centre on the Stonebow gardens."
On Wednesday 9th September, Sarah attended a packed meeting hosted by NHS Herefordshire and joined doctors, nurses and patients in condemning the location for the controversial new centre as being detrimental to patients and clinicians of the Stonebow Unit. At the meeting Sarah urged representatives from NHS Herefordshire to think again and not build on the Stonebow Unit gardens.
Many GP leaders have heavily criticised the GP-led walk in centres often referred to as Polyclinics or super surgeries as they will repeat services already offered by the NHS locally. NHS Herefordshire has responded to local pressure saying they are instead providing a local solution from the polyclinic proposal. Sarah Carr continues to scrutinise the plans.
Sarah Carr continued:
"The Stonebow Unit gardens are an oasis for many people. 1 in 4 people are affected by mental health problems. Here in Herefordshire already 25% of the population is over 65 and dementia is a growing issue. The Stonebow Unit and its dedicated staff do incredibly important work and it must not be undermined. I will continue to work with local people and represent their views to health service planners and providers in Herefordshire. "
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Published and Promoted by Roisin Miller on behalf of Hereford and South Herefordshire Liberal Democrats all at Hereford House, 20 East Street, Hereford HR1 2LU
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