Winchester Hospital standards not met

1.15.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 19th Jun 2007

'Winchester needs fairer funding' says, Martin Tod, Lib Dem Parliamentary campaigner for Winchester and MP Mark Oaten

Responding to the news that the Winchester & Eastleigh NHS Hospital's Trust is reported to have missed 6 healthcare commission standards, Martin Tod, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Winchester, commented:

'It's good that the hospital is being honest about the problems that it faces, it's good that so many standards have been met and it's very good that some of the problems reported have already been tackled. However it's clear that some of our worries and staff worries about the impact of last year's programme of cuts and closures on our hospital's training and standards of care have been justified.

The top priority must be to continue improving patient care. The hospital's management has had to spend too much energy on cuts and closures in the last 12 months. At times during the year, there were simply not enough beds. Patient care was being put under too much pressure. Now it really must come first.

Part of the problem remains funding. Winchester needs fairer funding and to be able to concentrate on caring for patients rather than having to divert so much attention into cuts in services. Frontline services are the last thing that should be cut'.

You can support Winchester Liberal Democrats get fairer funding of Winchester NHS by signing our petition at: http://www.ourcampaign.org.uk/enoughisenough