Decision on Chase Farm Hospital

THE Health Secretary has been urged to come clean about the future of services at Chase Farm as patients continue to wait over its future.

Andrew Lansley has yet to make a decision over the reconfiguration of hospitals in Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey, more than a month after an independent panel of experts – the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) – delivered its advice.

Broxbourne resident and long-time Chase Farm campaigner Ivy Beard, writing to the Enfield Independent, said: “Four weeks later, the IRP were expected to make public their recommendations to the Secretary of State on the evidence put before them.

“We understood this would happen even if Andrew Lansley had not made a decision, on the Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey provision of health services, but we are still waiting.”

The IRP delivered its findings to Mr Lansley on July 8, having assessed a report by Enfield Council on hospital provision in the area, but said it is waiting for the health secretary to make a final decision before publishing its report.

It added: “We do not, at this stage, have a confirmed date for publication.”

Mr Lansley is assessing the future of maternity, children’s and A&E services at the three hospitals, which local health bosses want to reconfigure but have come up against strong opposition from residents, politicians, and campaigners, especially in Enfield.

The focus of the opposition has been the proposal to downgrade services at Chase Farm, and to axe the 24-hour provision of A&E at the north Enfield hospital.