THE decision of the local health and well being board to reject the controversial NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans, being rolled out across the country, including here in Cheshire, underlines the serious concerns these plans have raised about the future of our health services.

As health and well being boards were established to ensure that the health interests and priorities of residents were properly heard and represented, plans that claimed that “the current acute (hospital) configuration in Cheshire (including Northwich Winsford and Middlewich) is unsustainable” without presenting evidence, or allowing scrutiny or the voice of the patient to be heard would be irresponsible to support.

Everybody is aware that the NHS faces unprecedented financial and demand pressures and improving primary and community health services, together with council run social care and public health, is the best way to reduce hospital and A&E demand.

That is why local transformation programmes around reducing alcohol consumption, diabetes and mental health crisis were set up between partners and should be allowed to continue without STPs being rolled upon communities.

But at a time of unprecedented hospital demand, in a country that has the second lowest proportion of hospital beds and doctors per its population in Europe, when public health and social care budgets have been slashed, this is not the time to weaken hospital services in Cheshire.

Cllr Paul Dolan Cabinet member adult social care (CWAC) Winnington and Castle Ward