The petition calling on West Midlands Ambulance Service to abandon their proposals to close the Rugby Community Ambulance station has been taken to Parliament after local MP Mark Pawsey presented it to the House of Commons on 15 September 2021.
The petition was set up by local resident Alison Livesey and had received over 4,300 signatures when Mark presented it. As he presented the petition, Mark highlighted that the number of signatures in the short space of time the petition had been live was a clear demonstration of the strength of local feeling over the proposals.
In addition to presenting the petition, Mark has written directly to the West Midlands Ambulance Service challenging their rationale for the proposed closure of the Rugby Community Ambulance Station and instead to look at ways in which the urgent and emergency care services in Rugby can be enhanced as the town grows. Mark has also raised this in the House of Commons with the Leader of the House, the Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, highlighting the lack of consultation around the proposed closure and the wider decision making within the NHS.
Speaking after presenting the petition, Mark said:
“I was very pleased to be able to present this important local petition in Parliament to convey the great concern over these proposals within our community. What is clear, is that as the town of Rugby grows, we need to ensure that services, and particularly health services, expand to meet the additional need. I share the concerns of residents that closing the Rugby Community Ambulance Station will potentially put the health and welfare of residents at risk and I hope that the West Midlands Ambulance Service will, as the petition asks, abandon these proposals.”
Mark continued:
“Prior to the petition being launched I had already corresponded directly with the Chief Executive of the West Midlands Ambulance Service to highlight the serious reservations I have about the impact that closing the Rugby Community Ambulance Station would have on local resident. I asked the Service to instead examine alternative uses of the existing site so that it can better serve the ambulance crews who use it, and the people of Rugby.”
Alison Livesey, who started the petition, added:
“I read in the Rugby Advertiser about the plans to remove the ambulance. After my family’s own experience of long waiting times in an emergency, I felt I had to do something to let Rugby residents tell WMAS what we think about their proposal. The success of the petition (beyond my wildest dreams) shows just how strongly Rugby residents oppose it. West Midlands Ambulance Service must think again.”