Boris questions the future of Chase Farm (From Enfield Independent)

Boris questions the future of Chase Farm

5:01pm Monday 3rd December 2007 in News By Paola Dellafiora

LONDON Mayoral candidate Boris Johnson urged the Government to come clean on which of the capital's hospitals are under threat of closure last week.

On a wet morning crowds gathered at the entrance of Chase Farm Hospital on Friday to put their questions to both Mr Johnson and Enfield Southgate MP David Burrows about the uncertain future of the hospital's Accident and Emergency (A&E) department and maternity services.

Mr Johnson's campaign aims to draw the Government's attention to peoples' wide spread unease and disquiet about the reduction to health services.

"The fight back against irrational and hasty closure of vital London services starts here," said Mr Johnson.

"Today what people here in Enfield want us to concentrate on is the fate of A&E provisions here at Chase Farm and they want their voices heard and it is my job to ensure that this happens."

Following a recent public consultation, Haringey Clinical Strategy Board is recommending that Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) adopt Option one which will leave a lower level A&E department at Chase Farm, with an urgent care centre operating 12-hours a day.

If, as expected, the cuts are pushed ahead, Enfield residents may have to travel to Barnet for urgent treatment.

Mr Johnson added: "We need to be told that this is not a bogus consultation - it has to be a real one where public opinion is taken into account.

"I think that very often Government consultations are a sham and I want to make sure this one isn't."

The three PCTs, Enfield, Barnet and Haringey, will meet on December 11 with a crunch meeting of the project board on December 12 deciding once and for all the fete of A&E and maternity services at Chase Farm.