Victory for Bedford Hospital Services

Local NHS bosses have finally committed to keeping key services at Bedford Hospital in a huge win for local residents and supporters of the campaign to save Bedford Hospital.

NHS bosses recently told a meeting of local NHS and Local Authority leaders that Bedford would retain its maternity services, accident and emergency and 24-hour children's wards.

Original plans would have represented a massive downgrade of Bedford Hospital.

Mayor Dave Hodgson, along with many others, has been campaigning to save services at Bedford Hospital since before being first elected in 2009.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said "This is great news. Thank you to everyone who has signed petitions and supported campaigns over the last decade. We now need to make sure this promise is delivered on! There have been too many broken promises over the years!"

Dave added "We must also keep campaigning for our other health services. The current service at Putnoe Walk-in centre is only agreed until summer/autumn 2020. I am calling on the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to ensure the future of this valuable service in good time - not to leave it to the last minute and surround it with uncertainty again.

Dave and the local Liberal Democrats have set up a new petition calling on the CCG to guarantee the future of Putnoe Walk-in centre. You can sign it at www.bedfordlibdems.org.uk/walkin