Local MP, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown met with David Cunningham and Cllr Ally Coggins to receive the 5,000 strong petition against cuts to x-ray services at North Cotswold Hospital based in Moreton-in-Marsh.

The many thousands of signatures indicates the depth of feeling in Moreton and the surrounding area about this issue.

Sir Geoffrey is additionally concerned about the Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust (GCS) proposals to designate local hospitals as local treatment centres. Under these proposals, Moreton would not be classified as such and therefore its invaluable Minor Injuries Unit could disappear altogether. This is particularly disturbing as the nearest local treatment centre would be in Cirencester, which is can take 45 minutes to travel to from Moreton.

Commenting on the news, Sir Geoffrey said:

“These developments concerning the future of the North Cotswold Hospital will be met with dismay by local people. The geographical position of Moreton means that it is some distance away from all other NHS treatment centres. To seek reassurances on this, I have written to the NHS Trust to ask, given these circumstances, Moreton be made a special case.”