Councillors back campaign to save hospital |
Claim made that Chiswick is Hounslow's 'cash-cow again Chiswick's nine local councillors have all put their signatures to a statement giving their full support to the Save Chiswick Lodge Hospital Action Group. In it they voice their total opposition to the proposed sale of Chiswick Lodge Hospital by the Hounslow Primary Care Trust for residential purposes. They state, "We consider that there is ample evidence of the chronic under-provision in the eastern part of Hounslow (Chiswick, Brentford and Isleworth) for the frail elderly. Chiswick has the highest mean age of population in Hounslow and yet only 7% of the residential nursing beds in the Borough are in Chiswick and all of these are for women only!" They also point out that there is a 12 month waiting list for these few beds. There are no Intermediate Care and Rehabilitation beds in Chiswick, Brentford or Isleworth and just 15 beds for the elderly mentally ill. The councillors claim that PCT officers plan to spend a large proportion of the money gained from the sale of this site in Bedfont, Heston and Central Hounslow. The statement goes on to say, " With the PCT offices based in Hounslow we can only wonder how much interest they take in, and indeed have knowledge of, the needs of Chiswick! Yet again we seem to be the cash-cow from Hounslow. Chiswick Age Concern, local political parties and the clear majority of local residents are opposed to this cavalier disposal of a much loved asset." October 1, 2004
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