The Chase Farm maternity scandal

Praise where praise is due. Of all the questions asked at the Council meeting this week, the best, most important and the one with the least satisfactory answer came from Tory Hale Councillor, Brian Gordon.

Unfortunately, our local paper paints a rather rosier picture, clearly being taken in by the hype. It seems to me that Barnet PCT are intent on putting even more strain on an already creaking service. If Barnet turned away 63 mothers whilst Chase Farm is still open, heaven only knows what will happen when it is closed. Sixty three women means that more than one a week is being turned away. That means it is routine practice. We've three children. One was born at the now closed Edgware General Hospital. The second was born at Barnet General and the third at the low risk birth unit at Edgware. I cannot imagine how stressful it would be to find yourself having to go elsewhere. This is totally unacceptable. I rather hope that Brian Gordon will not let this matter rest. As he's a Hale Ward councillor, he has first hand experience of what problems it causes when a hospital shuts.

I still harbour serious resentment at the closure of Edgware General. I think that it is shameful that no proper public transport provision has been made for people in the west of the borough wishing to get to Barnet General.