NEW MOVES TO SAVE BRANSFORD EMERGENCY CONTROL

12.17.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 15th Oct 2007

Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Norman Lamb MP received over 2000 new pledges of support for Bransford Ambulance Emergency Control during a visit to Worcestershire and Herefordshire yesterday. Mr Lamb received the pledges from West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt following a constituency wide health opinion survey conducted by local Liberal Democrats and assisted by staff at Bransford.

Mr Lamb was told of the strength of feeling across the two counties for the retention of the Emergency Control and will write immediately to the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, asking him to intervene and order a re-run of the consultation allowing the public and stakeholders an opportunity to comment and vote on alternative plans.

Mr Lamb praised the campaign by the Worcester News saying, "The Worcester News has been a champion for local opinion on this issue and should be congratulated for helping to keep the Trust's closure plans under close public scrutiny."

"I will be writing directly to Alan Johnson on my return to parliament asking him to consider the weight of evidence that the Trust's consultation report has been partial, inaccurate and biased towards their own closure plan. The consultation process appears to have been so flawed that I believe the Trust should tear it up and start again," added the LibDem Shadow Secretary of State.

Richard Burt said:

"The entire consultation has been nothing more than a thirteen week road show for the Trust's own closure plan. This sham exercise spawned thirteen alternative plans, which is a strong indication of widespread dissatisfaction and concern at being presented with a choice of one - effectively no choice at all.

"West Midlands Ambulance Trust want to close two emergency controls at Bransford and Shrewsbury, where they own the freehold, to pay for investment in new software and communication systems at the three remaining leasehold sites.

"It's all about selling off the family silver because we could clearly have a better, more resilient regional service based on the existing five controls, keeping the benefits of local knowledge and teamwork, and enjoying the full confidence of the public.

"I have been in discussions with staff at Branford about the possibility of a judicial review if a decision is taken to close Bransford. It simply would not be acceptable to close Bransford on the basis of such a flawed, partial and inaccurate review."