A FORMER mayor of Maldon has addressed the potential closure of St Peter’s Hospital.
The 150-year-old hospital in Spital Road faces the possibility of shutting its doors for good in a major NHS shake-up.
Stewart Arnold served as mayor from Maldon between 1991 and 1992.
Although he now lives in Yorkshire, Mr Arnold, who is also a former Maldon district councillor, makes regular visits to the town.
An eight week public consultation helping decide the hospital's future began on January 25 and will come to an end on March 21.
By launching the consultation, the NHS has been seeking the public's views on proposals concerning the future of St Peter's Hospital.
Part of the consultation is considering whether to make temporary changes at St Peter's permanent.
This includes making permanent the temporary move of the midwife-led birthing unit at St Peter’s to the William Julien Courtauld Unit at St Michael’s Braintree.
Mr Arnold said: “Rather than dispersing medical support to all points of the rest of Essex, serious funding should be given to the local hospital and other medical services which the town badly needs.
“Any campaign to save St Peter's can count me in - where do I sign up?”
Mr Arnold said the number of houses in Maldon have “increased exponentially” over the years.
He said: “It’s a big town now - the big services in the town are creaking.
“Medical services in general in the town are under pressure. Even a simple thing like having a blood test, which can be done at St Peter’s currently.
“The plan in the consultation is to move the maternity unit to Braintree, which is a long way to a lot of people”.
“My point in general is we shouldn’t be reducing the medical services and infrastructure.
“Not just keep it as it is, but improve it in light of the rise of population.”
The next event concerning the public consultation will be held on March 19 at Maldon Town Hall.
It will be running from 2pm to 7.45pm and will also be live streamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.
To find out more about the proposals, click here.
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