Lives could be put at risk

TAKING vascular services away from Warrington could put lives at risk according to a local MP.
Warrington North MP Helen Jones (pictured)says the process which threatens Warrington’s vascular services is “fatally flawed.”
“This process could have been designed to ensure Warrington lost out,” she said.
She has put questions to the House of Commons about the issue and is calling on local people to protest at the threat to local services.
The MP said a series of questions about the plan remain unanswered and that the process has been a “shambles.”
Recommendations put to the Cheshire and Merseyside vascular review panel could mean the specialist department (which include surgical and radiological services for people who have had major surgery or problems with blood supply such as following a stroke), moving to The Countess of Chester Hospital.
Ms Jones said: “The impact assessment says that taking vascular services away from Warrington will disrupt the joint working between Warrington and Whiston. They accept evidence from the North West Ambulance Service that transferring patients to Chester will impact on ambulance response times in Warrington.
“One panel member even expressed concerns that lives are at risk in other specialities because of the loss of vascular services could equal or outweigh any saved by anticipated improvements. This is an outrageous way to proceed and could inflict real damage on our local services and put lives at risk.”