Andrew Lansley CBE MP,

Shadow Secretary of State for Health 

House of Commons

London SW1A 0AA

25th March 2010

Dear Andrew,

Ipswich Hospital

People across Ipswich and Suffolk are deeply concerned about the future of Ipswich Hospital.  For years the hospital has been under attack, with services being transferred outside the county.  As a result, Ipswich people get inferior care to the residents of Cambridge and Norwich, which are urban areas of a similar size to Ipswich.  I don’t think that is fair, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

I know that the economic crisis has made it difficult for any incoming government to make big promises they can fulfil.  But one thing that I know will make a difference is if Ipswich Hospital is given its independence, so that local patients, local GPs, and local health professionals can make the decisions that affect our hospital and healthcare in our town.  I know that Ipswich people would welcome an assurance from you that a Conservative government would free Ipswich Hospital from central control and manipulation by an army of wasteful bureaucrats.

We in Ipswich have fought hard for our hospital.  We want to know that a Conservative government will return it to local people. 

Yours ever,

Ben 

Ben Gummer

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Ipswich

ben@bengummer.com

26th March 2010 

Dear Ben,

Thank you for your letter. As you know from our joint visits to Ipswich Hospital, I have been very concerned that the combination of the transfer out of specialist services to other regional centres, and the decommissioning of routine work at Ipswich would undermine the Hospital’s viability and undo all the excellent work done by the Consultants and staff at Ipswich to improve services and cut costs when Ipswich Hospital faced serious financial difficulties. I want Ipswich Hospital to have greater autonomy as a Foundation Trust. I want the Hospital to be able to offer the services which are needed in Suffolk and North-East Essex, working across the boundaries of secondary and primary care. And I want GPs and local people to be able to commission services from Ipswich, so long as they continue to deliver good outcomes and are safe. Access to care is an important part of the quality of care.

Please convey my best wishes to staff at Ipswich Hospital. I hope we shall be in a position to liberate them, in years ahead, to continue to deliver improving services to the people of Ipswich and beyond.

Yours ever,

Andrew Lansley