Another Hospital Case

Letter to the Wanstead & Woodford and Waltham Forest Guardians

26 November 2015

Dear Sir

The Green Party wholly supports the campaign to prevent the closure of the convalescent Heronwood and Galleon wards in Makepeace Road, Wanstead. However we are somewhat mystified that this issue need be referred to The Secretary of State for Health, as the issue appears to be a no brainer.

It seems that the Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) a body which is supposed to be responsible for the delivery of appropriate medical services in our borough, in the face of opposition from patients; residents; a unified, cross-party council and an excellence rating, is hell-bent on condemning Heronwood and Galleon wards to extinction. Furthermore, to add insult to injury, Redbridge CCG is intent on centralising the rehabilitation services of these centres of excellence, with high patient satisfaction at King George Hospital in Goodmayes – which is still in special measures for poor standards of care!

However if that isn’t disconcerting enough, once those wards have gone, we are sure that it will be a matter of time before the blood testing and physiotherapy units on the site are next under threat. Then, as the whole of that prime site is cleared and the plot of this ridiculous and predictable drama is played out, it looks as though the stage will be set to pave the way for yet another property developer waiting in the wings.

Yours sincerely

Ashley Gunstock
Lead Speaker
Green Party
Redbridge