Mayors’ question on Poltair Hospital

Following a meeting of the “Mayors Healthcare Campaign Partnership” in Penzance today, local MP, Andrew George, said he would be pressing health chiefs for answers about the future of Poltair Hospital and for greater transparency in the future planning of community hospitals and community health services.

Mayors and campaigners came together in Penzance today to discuss the ongoing closure of Poltair Hospital to inpatients since September last year. The latest plan is that the hospital will remain closed to inpatients until at least April when the matter would then be reviewed.

The meeting agreed to ask Cornwall Council to use its scrutiny powers to question the ongoing closure and to raise questions about the contract which had been let by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust which appeared to demonstrate that the contract could be met in spite of one hospital effectively being closed. Campaigners would also be raising questions of the new commissioners of community health services – Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group.

Mr George said: “Since Peninsula Community Health had taken over Poltair it had suffered under staffing and the closure to inpatients was intolerable in a community with such a high elderly population with significant health needs.

“If this is a Community Interest Company then I hope that PCH will demonstrate a greater Interest in the Community it is there to serve and less of the corporate secrecy which some companies practice.”