Derbyshire County Councillors Ellie Wilcox, Damien Greenhalgh and Dave Wilcox have welcomed the recent High Court decision which confirmed that the 12 Greater Manchester Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) acted lawfully by including Stepping Hill as a designated hospital in the Healthier Together programme.

The proposal that Stepping Hill would become the fourth specialist hospital site in Greater Manchester was legally challenged by a company called ‘Keep Wythenshawe Special ‘. Wythenshawe Hospital was not chosen as one of the four specialist hospitals.

Derbyshire County Council submitted evidence that the CCGs were entitled to take into account the population of North Derbyshire in the manner that they did.

Derbyshire residents were likely to be users of the service and therefore their travel time to receive specialist medical care should be factored into the decision making process.

“The County Council and the North Derbyshire CCG thought it appropriate to be joined as interested parties in the litigation” said County Councillor Greenhalgh. “Taking part cost money, but on such an important issue hopefully local residents will see this as a sound investment for such a positive outcome.”

County Councillor Dave Wilcox said that the consultation meetings held in Glossop and other parts of High Peak had given the Clinicians and Administrators a clear message that the interests of High Peak residents need to be taken into account when dealing with critically ill people. Adding “In the acute sector, just a few minutes could mean the difference between life and death.”

Councillor Ellie Wilcox introduced a note of caution. “As with all legal decisions there’s always a chance that litigants can mount an appeal. However we’ve been advised that the judgement is very thorough which hopefully limits the likelihood of this.”

Mr Justice Dove’s full judgement can be read here:  Wythenshawe – Final Judgement