Local health services and local hospitals are much valued by local people; I believe they’re worth fighting for, though it seems I have to keep doing it!

I campaigned to stop the closure of Altrincham Hospital repeatedly and held two debates in the House of Commons, highlighting the issue. 

It’s a campaign I took up around 26 years ago and have often had to revisit. In 1999 I held a Commons debate which I believe staved off Altrincham Hospital’s closure.

On November 30, 2005, I raised the fate of Altrincham Hospital in the House of Commons in a second Commons debate.

In time the NHS came full circle and it was decided that community hospitals are a good thing after all and helpful, so it was decided that we could keep our hospital and also that we could have a minor injuries unit which I was privileged to be asked to open.

It was much cherished across a wide area, taking pressure off nearby acute hospitals.

It closed, supposedly on a temporary basis, during COVID – the reason given was a shortage of Specialist Nurse Practitioners.

It’s crazy that this much valued resource has still not reopened. 

Now health and social care are run by the mayoral authority at a Greater Manchester level and the fate of our MIU seems to be under perpetual review – Altrincham seems to be a low priority for them.

The closure of the Minor Injuries Unit means extra pressure on Accident and Emergency at Wythenshawe and longer waiting times to see local GPs.

Oliver Carroll, who will be the Conservative candidate at the next General Election, is taking the campaign forward and is fighting hard for our hospital – thank goodness.

This has been going on long enough – the people of Altrincham need our hospital; it’s high time that NHS Managers guaranteed its future.