Nicholas Soames, Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex, at the request of District Councillor Christopher Snowling, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, has forwarded a letter from the Mid Sussex District Council to the Secretary of State for Health expressing grave anxiety about the present and future plans for the provision of health services in Mid Sussex and the wider area.

Nicholas Soames commented; “I am glad to wholeheartedly support the extremely detailed letter to the Secretary of State which I have today sent to her with a strong letter of my own. The failure of the Health Overview Scrutiny Committee to deal seriously and effectively with the very profound issues that have been raised by the Best Care, Best Place consultation has meant that changes are taking place that should have been called in by the Secretary of State. Like the Council I remain extremely anxious about the provision of health services over the wider area and I have urged the Secretary of State to respond in detail to all the points raised by the Council.

“Whatever one’s views about Best Care, Best Place it is absolutely clear that the consultation was not substantial and the scrutiny shamefully ineffective.”

Mr Soames is meeting Rosie Winterton MP, Minister of State for Health, on Monday 12th December to discuss the whole process of scrutiny by local government. This is the second meeting that

Mr Soames has had with the Minister in which he has called for changes to the scrutiny process.

Nicholas Soames will be having a meeting with District Councillors on Friday 6th January specifically to discuss health matters.