Council seeks judicial review to save Chase Farm Hospital

This week Enfield Council's cabinet agreed that the Council should seek to challenge the decisions of the Secretary of State for Health and the three Primary Care Trusts - Barnet, Enfield and Haringey about the future of services at Chase Farm Hospital.

Decisions to remove the 24-hour A&E and maternity and children’s services at the hospital were made before the public consultation even began..

Enfield Council leader Mike Rye said: “We have decided to take the legal route to save Chase Farm and keep it at the heart of our community. The wishes of the vast majority of residents in Enfield have been treated with contempt by a flawed public consultation and indifference from the Secretary of State.

“Chase Farm without a comprehensive maternity service and 24 hour A & E would endanger lives and strike a serious blow to the health and well being of the people in our borough."

Cllr Anne- Marie Pearce, who chairs Enfield’s Health Scrutiny Panel added, “The Secretary of State agreed that the NHS consultation was not as clear as it ought to have been and that there is no clarity over what emergency services are to be provided at Chase Farm.

“He also says that changes to maternity services will only mean increased travel for the birth itself. But I have listened to what our mothers want - they want a safe place to have their babies at Chase Farm without having to be transported while in labour to a different hospital in emergencies.”

The council is seeking a judicial review and is making an application to the High Court next week. The public was never consulted on the preferred option to retain these vital services.

The council is requesting that this is dealt with as a matter of urgency and should know if there is a legal challenge within a few weeks.

This document was last updated on 2008-11-28 16:07:57 published by the Communications team. Document Reference:LBE_133607