Exclusive by Brian Haran

brian.haran@essnmedia.co.uk

An MP has told how a meeting to thrash out the concerns of staff at Caterham's closure-threatened hospice was hijacked by top brass.

East Surrey MP Peter Ainsworth said he was denied the chance to hear hospice staff's fears and concerns last Friday - because senior officers from Marie Curie Cancer Care's head office turned out in force to see him instead.

And Mr Ainsworth dismissed the charity's claims its plans to close next spring were subject to its consultation, saying its shutdown was inevitable.

He told the Advertiser: "When I visited the hospice in Harestone Drive, I was due to talk to its nurses, medical officers and others.

"But when I got there I was flanked by people in suits from their head office."

This included the charity's national director of nursing Susan Munroe, and its head of public relations Alex Holdaway.

He added: "Marie Curie is being secretive. When I visited, I was flanked by people in suits from their head office who I wasn't expecting to meet."

When the Advertiser attended a meeting, it was denied access by Ms Holdaway because of "patient confidentiality".

It was only Mr Ainsworth's intervention that set up an impromptu press conference after his visit had formally ended.

The hospice, which employs 65 staff, has been at the heart of the town for the past 47 years.

He said local GPs and the hospice's clinicians were against closure plans, and urged it to consider alternatives before shutting.

Meanwhile Dr Alastair Wells, clinical lead on palliative care for EsyDoc - a partnership of 20 GPs' practices in East Surrey, said: "Local GPs respect the right of Marie Curie Cancer Care to invest its charitable funds how it sees fit.

"But the overwhelming view of local GPs is that the short notice period given by the charity falls well below the standards expected of such a prominent national charity, and potentially compromises patient care."

And Dr Peter Boffa, who works at Old Coulsdon Medical Practice in Court Avenue, and is chairman of the Croydon Local Medical Committee said: "There hasn't been any discussion with GPs.

"It was a bit of a shock. The hospice provides an excellent service and we don't have anything to take its place.

"That's not to say there won't be but it's very disappointing as we've built up close links with Marie Curie in Caterham."

The hospice said a further announcement would be made when it was had finished discussing its plans with the NHS and other hospices.

Mrs Munroe added: "We are hopeful that palliative care services currently available at Caterham will continue to be available through other providers.

"Our main concern is to end this difficult period of uncertainty for patients and staff as quickly as possible."