The dire financial situation in the ability of the Hospital and Primary Care Trusts to transfer major services away from Chase Farm Hospital has been drawn to the attention of the public.

This is based on outstanding debts of £16 million, plus a remaining £8m in long-term debt and the knowledge NHS funding is due to radically reduce in the near future.

Private finance to extend North Middlesex and Barnet hospitals already exists for their patients and would need to increase to accommodate Chase Farm patients, with alterations to Chase Farm infrastructure, plus creating new buildings for GP surgeries, polyclinics, urgent care centres and walk-in centres, would mean even more money would be needed to pay back the private sector for the NHS use of those buildings.

There are two petitions on the Prime Minister’s website for people to sign. The first one submitted by Save Chase Farm is at: http://petitions.

number10.gov.uk/stopnhs enfield/ The second, submitted by a student nurse, is at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ ChaseFarmAandE If you do not have access to a computer, you can write to your MP at the House of Commons, London SW1A OAA, asking either MPs Joan Ryan, David Burrows or Andy Love to write to the Rt Hon. Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Health, or the Rt Hon. Mike O’Brien MP Minister for Health, calling for a ministerial review of the decision to transfer major accident and emergency with intensive care; consultant-led maternity and children’s services away from Chase Farm Hospital. Plus the transfer of acute stroke services.

We need to petition our Prime Minister, to call for a ministerial review at this time.

Ivy Beard, Littlebrook Gardens, Cheshunt