NHS consultation was a 'sham' says Royal Borough

The consultation over the future of Heatherwood Hospital has been called 'a sham' by the Royal Borough.

Papers were released yesterday giving details of the recommendations about what should happen to the Ascot hospital.

A three-month 'Shaping the Future' consultation over proposals for the hospital finished on January 31.

Cllr David Coppinger, cabinet member for adult services and health, said: “We are completely dissatisfied that the views expressed by local people during the Shaping the Future consultation appear to have been totally ignored – and little wonder our residents in Ascot and The Sunnings feel the consultation was a sham.

“The recommendations going to the board next week show scant regard to the views expressed by the Royal Borough and service users that there should be local services for local people. If the board decides to agree the recommendations we will have a reduction in services and local people will lose out."

Cllr Sayonara Luxton, chairman of the adult services and health overview and scrutiny panel, is also writing to the PCT board setting out concerns about the ‘flawed’ consultation process and the total opposition to the transfer of any more services from Heatherwood, particularly the minor injuries unit and rehabilitation services.

The NHS Berkshire board will make the decisions at a public board meeting at the Holiday Inn hotel in Maidenhead on Tuesday at 10.30am.