Sir John Whittingdale OBE, MP for Maldon, arranged a public meeting, in conjunction with the Mayor of Maldon, at the Plume Academy, to discuss the Trust’s recent proposals to close St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon, and their plans to relocate services from Maldon to Brentwood and Braintree. The meeting was held in the largest venue in Maldon yet still could not hold the vast number of people who came to take part.
The meeting followed NHS Mid and South Essex’s recently announced proposals to close health services at St Peter’s Hospital and relocate services elsewhere. The proposals initially suggest the moving of Intermediate Care and Stroke Rehabilitation beds to Brentwood Community Hospital and Rochford Community Hospital and freestanding midwife-led birthing services such as Maternity beds to WJC Hospital in Braintree. However, there are also proposals to move all other patient services at St Peter’s to other locations.
Sir John is pictured attending the meeting at the Plume Academy
The central purpose of the meeting was for Maldon residents to have the opportunity to come and express their views to the representatives and decision makers from NHS Mid and South Essex Trust, the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), and Maldon District Council.
Over 400 people attended the meeting and the consensus was clear that it is vital that local health services are retained so that they are accessible to the people of the Town and the surrounding area. Sir John shares this view wholeheartedly and will continue to talk to the NHS and will seek to raise the matter in Parliament. He also strongly encourages his constituents to visit https://virtualviews.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/changes-to-services to view the NHS consultation document and make their views clear.
