The Save Weston A&E campaign group will be protesting outside the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (BNSSG CCG) Meeting on 5th  February at 1 pm at the Royal Hotel in Weston-super-Mare. At this meeting, the CCG is expected to announce the start of a consultation which could lead to the permanent closure of a consultant-led 24/7 A&E department at Weston General Hospital.

Save Weston A&E campaigner Councillor Mike Bell said: “When our A&E was closed overnight on a temporary basis in July 2017 we never imagined that 18 months later it would still be closed. ‘Temporary’ to us meant a few months, maybe six months at the most. During the last 18 months, our campaign group have organised a number of events, including two marches through the town, and many protests at Hospital Board meetings, to raise awareness of what is happening and make our feelings known.

“We were originally told that the night-time closure of A&E was caused by failure to recruit sufficient doctors and consultants, but we now understand that the required numbers have been recruited. In addition, the Consultants at Weston General Hospital have put forward their own plan to re-open a 24/7 A&E, and apparently are in talks with the CCG about this plan – we hope the CCG listen.

“The CCG are meeting on 5th February to start the consultation on the future of Health Services in Weston-super-Mare – potentially 5 options, only one of which is a return to a 24/7 A&E. As far as we are concerned only one option will be good enough for the people of Weston, and that is a return to a fully functioning A&E open 24 hours a day.

“We need the people of Weston-super-Mare to come to the CCG meeting to show that they need their A&E department re-opened overnight. We look forward to seeing you all there at 1 pm outside the Royal Hotel in Weston-super-Mare.”