Chiswick Conservatives Welcome Investment For Charing Cross Hospital

Condemn 'scaremongering' that the hospital will close

Chiswick Conservatives have welcomed the recent investment in Charing Cross Hospital, which they say will benefit Chiswick residents who are reliant on the hospital’s services.

They have also criticised "scaremongering" that the hospital is to close.

“It is important that residents know the facts about Charing Cross and that the hospital is very much thriving.” said Patrick Barr, a Conservative Council candidate in Chiswick Homefields ward and an Accident and Emergency Nurse who has worked at Charing Cross Hospital.

“Charing Cross hospital recently announced that over the past 18 months some of the largest ever investment has taken place in the hospital.” Patrick continued, “£6 million has been spent on improvements, to include a new medical assessment unit and a further £8 million on replacing imaging equipment and installing state of the art equipment. This is to meet the significant rise in the need for emergency services within the hospital.

“In addition, acute medical beds have now been located on the ground floor of the hospital near to A&E to enable patients to be admitted more quickly.”

“The hospital is currently working on a further multimillion pound refurbishment and an expansion of Accident and Emergency to begin early this year.“

Patrick added that there was an open door event at Charing Cross Hospital in November 2017 to celebrate the hospital’s past and to look to the future. It was made very clear at this event that there was to be no decline in services at the hospital. Emergency attendances have grown by 16 per cent between 2015 and 2017; this figure then rose by a further 4.5 per cent in 2017. Given this trend there are no plans to reduce the number of beds available.

"In the Autumn budget 2017, the Conservative Party pledged its continued commitment to a tax-funded NHS, free at the point of use, wherever and whenever you need it. NHS spending is to be increased by £8bn in real terms over the next five years to ensure everyone at the end of this Parliament will be able to access GP surgeries at evenings and weekends, a further £2.8bn will go towards improving accident and emergency performance, reducing waiting time performance and treating more people this Winter. A further £2bn has been pledged to help fund adult social care at this time of great pressure on services."

Patrick added: “I am very proud to be a Nurse in the NHS. Charing Cross a wonderful teaching hospital where I was trained to deliver excellent patient care.

“I welcome the extra investment the hospital has received and the Government’s commitment to the NHS. This extra funding will support Charing Cross Hospital in providing excellent patient care for local residents. With an aging and growing population, it’s marvellous that the public are still able to obtain free healthcare at the point of use. I met with Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care at the end of last year; he confirmed that Charing Cross was not closing.”

February 24, 2018