The petition of the people of Teesdale and surrounding areas,
Declares that Richardson hospital is a vital and much used resource for the people of Teesdale, an area with very limited public transport, and it should not have its services reduced either by the closure of wards, the removal of equipment or the reduction of its staff team.
The petitioners therefore urge the House of Commons to ask County Durham & Darlington Foundation Trust to guarantee these services for the next 10 years.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Helen Goodman, Official Report, 25 November 2015; Vol. 602, c. 1457.]
[P001571]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Ben Gummer):
The commissioning and provision of local health services is a matter for the local NHS. This Government are committed to devolving decision-making about local NHS services to local clinicians and communities. GPs, clinicians, patients and local authorities are best placed to determine the nature of their NHS services.
The NHS must however be able to respond flexibly to changes in clinical care and patient populations by providing services that meet current needs. The safety of services must always be a priority.