Keep up the pressure to save Llanidloes Hospital

11.11.24am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 2nd Apr 2007

Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire today welcomed the news from the Wales Office that no decision has been made on the future of Llanidloes Hospital. In a letter to Lembit Öpik the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Nick Ainger MP, confirmed that no firm plans had been made.

Commenting, Lembit Öpik MP said:

"Local people have been campaigning hard to keep the current services at Llanidloes Hospital. After raising the future of hospital on the floor of the House of Commons, it is good to hear the fate of the Hospital is not a foregone conclusion.

"While this is encouraging news we must not be complacent. We must keep up the pressure to make sure we save our hospital."

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

1) Lembit Öpik MP raised a question on the floor of the House of Commons during Welsh Questions on 21st February 2007 asking:

21 Feb 2007 : Column 243

Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire) (LD): Is the Minister aware that cross-border pressures will increase if Llanidloes hospital is closed, with an even greater burden placed on the ambulance service as a direct result of reduced health care in the Llanidloes area? Will he discuss with Assembly Ministers the consequences of such a closure, to avert those potentially devastating effects on health provision in south Montgomeryshire, which simply cannot be mitigated through alternative provision elsewhere in Powys or Shropshire?

2) In response to his question on the 21st February, Lembit Öpik MP received a letter dated 28th March from Nick Ainger MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Wales, stating that he had raised the issue with Dr Brian Gibbons, the Assembly Minister for Health and was assured that

"at present no firm proposals have been made. Powys LHB is at a pre consultation stage and any future changes to the use of Llanidloes hospital will be subject to open consultation…no decisions on the future of Llanidloes hospital have been taken and the public will be kept informed of any future proposals"