Royal Hospital, Haslar (Hansard, 7 July 1999)

§ Mr. Peter Viggers (Gosport)

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 24, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the closure of the intensive care unit at the Royal Hospital, Haslar, in my constituency. Since the Ministry of Defence announced in December its intention to close the only remaining military hospital, the whole area has been united in its determination to reverse the decision. There are two reasons for that. First, the area has the strongest defence links, and those who serve in the defence medical services and those who care for our defences are distraught that the announcement, which has already led to the resignation of 15 consultants, will have a devastating effect on defence medical services and on our defence forces generally.

Secondly, Gosport will lose its main hospital with superb facilities, on which £35 million has been spent in the past 10 years. The most emotive aspect is the fact that Gosport will lose its accident and emergency cover. There is absolutely no doubt that lives will be lost in ambulances on the congested roads between Gosport and the remaining local hospitals, if the accident and emergency unit at Haslar should close.

We heard this morning that the intensive care unit at Haslar is to close shortly because of lack of staff. The announcement could have been made last Thursday when we had a meeting with all those concerned, including the head of the Defence Secondary Care Agency. The announcement might have been made on Monday, when the Minister for the Armed Forces appeared before the Select Committee on Defence with all his staff to answer concerns about defence medical services. However, the matter was left for us to discover today.

This is the latest chapter in a sad story of botch and bungle. The Ministry of Defence failed properly to consult with the national health service before announcing the hospital closure. Caught out, Ministers at the Department of Health have given repeated promises that medical care will not deteriorate after the closure of Haslar hospital, but of course it will. It cannot do otherwise.

Words cannot express the anger and frustration felt by my constituents in the face of this terrible blow to their health care. I therefore ask for the House to adjourn to allow full debate on the matter, which is of such importance to defence medical services and to all people in the area.