Petition: Community Hospital (Braintree)

Brooks Newmark presents a petition calling for the promised new community hospital in Braintree to be built.

10.26 pm

Mr. Brooks Newmark (Braintree) (Con): I beg leave to present a petition on behalf of 2,641 of my constituents, in addition to a further 9,500 local people who have signed a parallel petition initiated by the Braintree and Witham Times-in other words, more than 12,000 petitioners who demand that the Government honour their commitment to local health care by building a community hospital in Braintree.

The petition states:

The Petition of the people of Braintree,

Declares that a new community hospital on the site of the former St. Michael's hospital in Braintree is a vital part of a renewed community hospital network which is needed to deliver improved local care. Further declares that the continuing delays in approving a new community hospital for the people of Braintree, together with an ongoing programme of cuts and closures to viable and valued community hospitals, is at odds with the commitment made in the Health White Paper "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say".

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons shall urge the Department of Health to remove any remaining barriers to the construction of a community hospital for the people of Braintree.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.