'Welwyn Hatfield residents will not benefit from GP-led health centre' (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

'Welwyn Hatfield residents will not benefit from GP-led health centre'

8:50am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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ALARMING figures released by the Department of Health reveal only a fraction of patients could benefit from plans to replace A&E with a GP-led centre at the QEII Hospital.

The Government report is one of the only pieces of research into the Labour Government’s strategy which recommends replacing A&E departments with primary care centres led by GPs.

The new stats have rung alarm bells with Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps.

He said: “It’s amazing that this research is one of the first works of its kind. Before this, they were just pulling figures out of the air and using them to justify closing our A&E.

“What should be absolutely clear is that for an area the size of Welwyn Hatfield to go without a proper A&E department is just mad. In fact it’s worse than that – it’s lethal.

“Labour have pushed the A&E past the point of no return by investing millions at the Lister in Stevenage. But I’m still determined to fight hard to keep the A&E and Maternity units at least.

“A crash victim or a new mum shouldn’t have to worry about making it up the crowded A1(M) before they see a doctor. That’s why I’ve brought Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley here to discuss it twice already.

“This report shows that just one in ten patients can benefit from the Government’s policy. So what about the other 90 per cent?

“It all backs up our opposition to closing our A&E, but local people will be asking: Why didn’t the PCT research this properly in the first place?”

Health bosses argue that when the QEII is converted to an "urgent care centre", there will be little practical change in the casulaty department facilities.