Co-ordinator: Marna Blundy, 4 Botallack Moor, St Just, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7QH
Tel: 01736 788107
email: westcornwallhealthwatch@yahoo.co.uk

PRESS STATEMENT
14.03.05

As West Cornwall HealthWatch approaches its eighth annual Annual General Meeting, members are taking stock of the current NHS situation, and are very unhappy at what they find. Despite eight years of consistent monitoring and campaigning, the outlook for patients in West Cornwall needing to access NHS emergency services in particular is none too bright. Indeed, Vice-chairman Joe MacKenna has stated recently:

“With lengthening ambulance queues at Treliske, exacerbated by the significant reduction in emergency admissions at West Cornwall Hospital, we are now witnessing the start of melt-down. Far from adding a new £7.4million wing to A&E at Treliske, we need two new emergency admitting hospitals, and a new management team for the Trust. We must be concerned that with the delays now arising, lives must be more at risk at Treliske than at other hospitals where patients can be admitted promptly on arrival. It is clear that the RCHT is failing to cope with the 578,000 patients presenting each year – far too many for one hospital to deal with.”

This issue will be discussed at this week’s AGM, to be held on Friday 18 th March starting at 7pm in Committee Room No 1 at Penwith District Council Offices, St Clare, Penzance. Opening the evening will be Andrew George M.P., who will give his response to the recent HealthWatch presentation “ Cornwall in Crisis”, and an assessment of the current situation. The meeting will receive reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary of the organisation, will appoint the committee for the coming year, and will receive comments and questions from the floor. All Supporters of West Cornwall HealthWatch are cordially invited to attend.