Decline in hospital standards "very sad"

Bedfordshire Hospital has been given a lower ranking in the recent Healthcare Commission's "annual report" on standards in health.

The hospital moved from a "fair" rating to "weak" a blow for the hard-working front-line staff.

This comes on top of a current budget deficit which has left the hospital having to pay money back to the government

Henry Vann, Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner for Bedford and Kempston said:

"This absurd situation of a hospital owing the government money must come to an end: an MP should stand up for Bedford and Kempston and demand more funding for the government rather than allow the hospital to be slowly run into the ground by debt that it apparently owes the government.

"Bedford and Kempston Liberal Democrats at all levels will fight to save Bedford hospital and call on the government to invest the much needed money to maintain staff morale, sustain vital frontline services, and build a strong health network in Bedford."

Cllr. Judith Cunningham, borough representative on the county NHS Scrutiny committee (Lib Dem), said:

"The doctors, nurses and other front line staff at the hospital work tremendously hard in very difficult circumstances. They are courteous, kind, diligent and are being let down by the national government.

"We need to help them get on with their jobs by funding the vital frontline services properly so that none are lost.

"The Liberal Democrats believe in making local hospitals locally accountable to guarantee that the services remain intact, and in accordance with the correct priorities: It is deeply saddening to see our hospital suffer at the hands of a centralising government."