The Member of Parliament for the Wells Constituency, which includes the Burnham-on-Sea area and the Cheddar Valley, has reacted with concern to the decision to close the Accident & Emergency Department at Weston General Hospital between 10pm and 8am. This follows a recent report on the hospital by the Care Quality Commission.
James Heappey MP commented:
"Whilst it is pleasing to see the work of so many staff at Weston Hospital recognised in the many improvements identified by the Care Quality Commission, it is hugely concerning that the A&E must close overnight until more sustainable levels of staffing can be achieved."
"Local health chiefs have reassured me that A&E admissions at Weston from residents in Somerset - as opposed to North Somerset - average around four per night and that this can easily be covered by Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. I also understand that serious cases that require an ambulance are already mostly directed to the larger hospitals in Bristol or Taunton."
"Nonetheless, Weston Hospital is popular with those of us who live in the north western corner of Somerset and so the A&E must re-open as soon as possible. I will be supporting Weston's MP, John Penrose, in raising the ongoing challenge we face in clinician recruitment for Somerset's NHS with Ministers. It is frustrating that yet again, we have the cash but cannot recruit the staff to spend it on."