John was pleased to speak to more than 300 people at the meeting on the future of the Buckingham Hospital last Thursday. The meeting was organised by the Buckingham Hospital and North Bucks Action Group and the audience included GPs, representatives of the League of Friends of Buckingham Hospital and the Primary Care Trust, as well as local residents.

In his address, John pointed out the procedural failings in the tender process which has awarded the medical cover contract at Buckingham Hospital to The Practice and demanded that any future changes must go through the public consultation process. John urged the PCT to reinstate the previous system of medical cover and to allow Buckingham’s GPs the opportunity to negotiate a new contract to resume the provision of medical care at Buckingham Hospital.

John said, “The anger and resentment at the public meeting were obvious. My real fear is that the changes will mean doctors will be forced to refer patients for admission to an acute hospital bed, rather than to Buckingham Hospital. As this acute bed occupancy rises, the levels at Buckingham Hospital will fall, and the PCT will then claim that the Hospital is unviable and close it altogether. That simply must not be allowed to happen. The representatives of the PCT heard the strong feelings of local people on this issue and I hope it will act accordingly,”