Maggie Throup MP, Member of Parliament for Erewash has released the following statement regarding the proposed changes to services at Ilkeston Community Hospital:
“I have already been in contact with the Chief Executive of Derby & Derbyshire CCG to express my concerns about certain aspects of the proposals.
“However, we must always be mindful of what is best for the patient. There is evidence that in the first 24 hours in hospital, a patient loses 2-5 per cent of their muscle strength, rising to 10 per cent in the first 7 days.
“We should not be over-medicalising old age and always have the goal of ensuring patients are treated in the right place at the right time, recognising that their own home is so often the best place.
“I will continue to express my concerns to the CCG and will raise possible options with the Health Minister.
“But we must always remember that our hospital is more than just beds, it serves our Community as an outpatient hub and has a brilliant Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, as well as the Minor Injuries Unit.
“To reiterate, whilst these proposals may change the way our Community hospital delivers its service, they in no way mean that the hospital is under threat of closure as has been so recklessly suggested by the Labour Party in the past.”