The Health Secretary, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, has announced that following extensive representations made by the MPs for Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, and the Cotswolds, that the A&E at Cheltenham hospital is no longer at risk of closure. The Health Secretary has spoken to the chief executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to guarantee that plans of closing the A&E are taken off the table and will not form part of the forthcoming consultation. An announcement was also made that health managers will be supported with £50 million to update hospitals in Gloucestershire.

The campaign to save the A&E services included a petition which was signed by over 20,000 residents and various meetings held by the three local MPs with health chiefs and the Government.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said:

“On behalf of my constituents, may I give a warm welcome to my right hon. Friend’s announcement this afternoon of extra funding to keep the A&E at Cheltenham open. My constituents already have to travel 25 miles to get to Cheltenham, and this announcement will be a huge relief to them.”

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock:

“I am delighted to have been able to give that assurance and I thank my hon. Friend for the work he has done.”