A CROSS-party pressure group formed to help hospitals in crisis has a new patron ? West Devon and Torridge Conservative MP Geoffrey Cox. Mr Cox accepted an invitation to become patron of Community Hospitals Acting Nationally Together, which is aimed at lobbying ministers and helping the dozens of local hospitals facing financial crisis and possible closure. Among the hospitals threatened is Moretonhampstead, which despite recently being granted a reprieve still faces an uncertain long-term future. The MP said: ?I have wholeheartedly supported the campaign to save Moretonhampstead since the hospital?s financial difficulties came to light and I am delighted to be able to join MPs from all parties in defence of cottage hospitals. ?They provide a vital service to rural communities and make health care available to residents who would otherwise have to travel many miles to receive acute and intermediate care.? Mr Cox added it was imperative that the Government did all it could to ensure the continued survival of these hospitals and that it recognised the disproportionately high cost of providing health care in rural areas. ?In Scotland and Wales there is a special adjustment for rural communities when determining health resource allocations, but in England the formula is systematically biased against rural areas,? he said. ?I hope that CHANT will enable us to co-ordinate a national campaign to persuade the Government of the compelling case for a different weighting of criteria for health resource allocation in rural areas and save these invaluable hospitals from closure.?
