Full range of Addenbrookes and Papworth services to be restored for residents after R4U intervention

After intervention by R4U, residents of north Uttlesford will again have full access to Addenbrookes and Papworth Hospitals, with the restoring of cardiology services from 2nd August.

R4U’s Cllr Paul Gadd, Essex County Councillor for the Saffron Walden division, said “Since I was elected in May I’ve pushed for full services from the Cambridge hospitals to be restored to local residents. Access to cardiology services at the Cambridge University Trust hospitals was stopped for North Uttlesford residents some 4 years ago, in theory on a temporary basis. I’m delighted to have been able to work with the NHS West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (WECCG) and Uttlesford District Council to immediately get full services restored. Additional capacity at Papworth Hospital will be made available for North Uttlesford residents.”

Cllr Gadd continued “We have been told that cardiology services at Addenbrookes will remain under pressure, with long waiting times for non-urgent care, although the Cambridge hospitals are working to address this. I’m very grateful for the swift response from WECCG, and from the Cambridge University and Royal Papworth Hospital Trusts. North Uttlesford residents should be able to take comfort that their GPs will again have full referral rights to the Cambridge hospitals.”

R4U’s Cllr Mike Tayler, Uttlesford District Councillor for Thaxted and former GP, said “On behalf of UDC, I should like to give my thanks also to the West Essex CCG and the Cambridge hospital trusts. The restoration of full referral services to the Cambridge hospitals is very important for local residents.”

The NHS has confirmed that thye classify North Uttlesford as patients registered with the Crocus (Saffron Walden/Great Chesterford), Gold Street (Saffron Walden/Great Chesterford), Newport and Thaxted GP surgeries; and South Uttlesford as Angel Lane (Dunmow), John Tasker House (Dunmow), Elsenham Stansted, and Eden (Hatfield Health) surgeries.

At the beginning of July the NHS confirmed to R4U’s Cllr Paul Gadd that residents of north Uttlesford would retain their right of access to Addenbrookes Hospital. Before the May local elections the previous county councillor had indicated that patient referrals would only be allowed to the Princess Alexandra in Harlow, causing a local outcry. You can read the news article about that here. This new agreement expands GP referrals to cover all Addenbrookes and Papworth services.

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