‘Hands off our healthcare’.

Following the intending closure of the Mungo Park surgery in south Hornchurch, Trevor McKeever from Labour’s south Hornchurch action team today writes in the Havering Daily.

Last week I attended a meeting at the Mungo Park GP surgery in South Hornchurch. The surgery is earmarked for closure and will see over 3000 patients farmed out to surgeries up to four miles away.

This move beggar’s belief and there seems to be other motives at play. The surgery is closing because the current GP is retiring, and the CCG claims that they cannot find a replacement. If this is the case it does not bode well for the proposed facilities on the new Beam Park site. If we can’t find doctors to keep existing services running what does the future hold?

There were lots of suggestions that the year on year reduction of services at the South Hornchurch Medical Centre was being done in order to sell off the building for yet more housing. Let’s be clear though, our services are creaking under pressure.

That is why I’m backing the ‘Hands off our Healthcare’ campaign being run by Jon Cruddas MP. NHS England needs to reinvest in services for the south of the borough. In the coming weeks I will continue to liaise with residents, the CCGs and our MP to try and find a route though that doesn’t leave our community at the bottom of the pile for healthcare.