WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones fears that essential health services in the town could be closed and has accused officials of being ‘up to no good’.

Mrs Jones has expressed concerns over NHS sustainability and transformation plans which she believes could see the axe fall on essential health services in Warrington.

Primary care, trauma and stroke could be some of the services that will be subjected to changes according to the MP.

She said: “It is clear from a letter I have seen that the NHS in Merseyside and Cheshire are looking at specific services such as strokes, primary care and trauma yet it is proving impossible to get details of their plan.

“I have asked parliamentary questions about what is going on and how the public will be consulted but the answers say nothing.

“Last month I was copied in on a letter from the director of commissioning operations and replied saying that it was complete gobbledegook – I got an acknowledgement but no proper reply.

“When officials send out letters like that it is obvious that someone is up to no good.”

Mrs Jones said that she would demand details of the sustainability and transformation plans She added: “I greatly fear that there could be plans to close essential services in Warrington and they will be presented as a fait accompli with little chance for the public to have their say.

“The NHS is in crisis under this government – doctors are leaving because of their treatment by the health secretary, there have been cuts to nurse training and the service is being starved of funds.

“This review is happening not to improve care for patients but to deal with a huge funding gap.

“The government and local NHS managers need to come clean and tell us what the real plans for Warrington are.”