Lib Dem GLA candidate Wayne Hoban has called for NHS bosses to reassure concerned residents about the future of St Ann’s Hospital.His comments came following a public meeting last week on the future of the site.

Concerns have risen over the fact that Haringey council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) describes St Ann’s as a ‘former’ hospital, which has fuelled suspicion that the it may be earmarked for closure. Although a staff notice from hospital management to St. Ann’s staff was produced at the meeting in which it is stated that there are plans to update and modernise services on the site rather than to close it, suspicion remains that there is a hidden agenda to sell off a large part of the site.

Lib Dem Deputy Leader Wayne Hoban is pointing out that Haringey is required by the London Mayor to provide almost 20,000 new homes, which will inevitably place an increasing burden on Haringey’s already stretched schools, GP’s and transport systems. It therefore makes sense to not only retain the St. Ann’s Hospital site, but to expand the range of on-site facilities to meet this demand, such as a walk-in NHS diagnostic centre, minor injuries unit, voluntary sector organisations, etc. This would reduce the need for local people to travel long distances to the North Middlesex Hospital or even further for their NHS investigations and treatment.

Wayne Hoban comments:

“Retention of the St Ann’s site is vital. I will therefore be seeking assurances from the Primary Care Trust and Haringey Council that the site will be retained for the purpose of providing high quality and locally accessible health and social care related services.”