Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, has welcomed Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt’s support for keeping the Urgent Care Centre at Chase Farm Hospital open for longer hours.
In a meeting with Mr Hunt and senior NHS officials, North London MPs, Nick de Bois and David Burrowes, called for the centre to have extended opening hours to deal with the increased demand over the winter season.
Theresa Villiers said: “I welcome Jeremy Hunt’s backing for longer opening hours for the Urgent Care Centre at Chase Farm Hospital during this busy season. I believe this could help relieve pressure on A&E at Barnet Hospital."
"I welcome the Health Secretary’s comments that he might support this on a more permanent basis and I urge Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group and the Royal Free Foundation Trust to come to a decision on this shortly.”
Mr Hunt told the MPs: "The evidence presented by both Nick de Bois and David Burrowes does demonstrate that a further expansion of hours may be justified to not only help meet any possible winter pressures but also on a permanent basis."
The Health Secretary called for decisions to be made soon by the clinical commissioning group.
Theresa continued: "By taking difficult decisions across many areas of public spending, this Government has been able to increase the NHS budget by £12.7 billion over this Parliament. The Conservatives are committed to increasing the NHS budget in real terms in the next Parliament too."
The Urgent Care Centre at Chase Farm was opened in October 2013 to treat people with non-life threatening injuries.