FULL SPEED AHEAD TO CHASE FARM CLOSURE! – occupation is the only answer

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A section of the mass picket at Chase Farm Hospital organised by the North East London Council of Action on June 5th
A section of the mass picket at Chase Farm Hospital organised by the North East London Council of Action on June 5th

Barnet, Haringey and Enfield Clinical Strategy Board has made it clear that it is rapidly proceeding with the closure of Chase Farm Accident and Emergency, Maternity and Paediatrics departments.

The Board has announced that on June 28 it is beginning a so-called ‘public consultation’ on two ‘options’ only for the future of north London hospitals.

Under Option one, Barnet Hospital and North Middlesex Hospital will be acute hospitals with emergency departments, while Chase Farm Hospital will only provide planned and elective surgery services.

Option two will see the North Middlesex site redeveloped, while Chase Farm will become a community hospital with all its in-patient services moved to Barnet and North Middlesex.

Both options mean Chase Farm will be left with only out-patient and day-care services for women and children, as well as a midwife-led birthing unit.

Enfield Primary Care Trust (PCT) is meeting on Monday to approve either ‘option’ one or two.

Barnet, Haringey and Enfield PCTs will put forward a preferred option to a NHS London Strategic Health Authority meeting on June 27, which will decide on proceeding with the ‘consultation’.

A spokeswoman for the Clinical Strategy Board made it clear that ‘from this point onwards we can only take into account responses received during the consultation period.’

She added that the Board ‘are aware that many people will be on holiday at points throughout the consultation period’, but claimed that ‘we will be consulting for 16 weeks.’

The spokeswoman said both options are in line with government ‘emergency czar’ Professor Alberti’s report.

She claimed this meant no hospital would close and a large proportion of current patients would still be treated at Chase Farm, but with a reduced A&E service at the hospital. This would be backed up by a GP out-of-hours service, she added.

Campaigners rubbished her claim, warning what is being planned is the death of Chase Farm as a district general hospital.

Consultant surgeon Anna Athow said: ‘This just shows that the whole public consultation is a complete farce.

‘The decisions have already been taken by the London Strategic Health Authority and are being carried out by the PCTs.

‘It shows that the only way that Chase Farm can be kept open is by physical action including occupation.’