A LAST-ditch appeal has been made to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to support his constituents based in Haslemere and relocate emergency stroke care to Guildford not Frimley.

North West Surrey and Guildford and Waverley clinical commissioning groups will decide if stroke services will be removed from the Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH) and two proposed Hyper Acute Stroke Units (HASU) will be established at Ashford and Frimley Park hospitals, on September 7.

Concerned residents have protested the lives of stroke victims in the town and surrounding villages will be put at risk due to the longer journey time to Frimley and the slow response times by SECAmb, which is now in special measures because of its service failings.

In an 11th-hour appeal, Mr Hunt is urged “not as Secretary of State” but as “our MP” to support his constituents and “make clear your support for a Guildford HASU”.

The appeal was made in an open letter to Mr Hunt, delivered last Friday and signed by town mayor Malcolm Carter, borough councillor Robert Knowles – a former leader of Waverley Borough Council, Haslemere Hospital League of Friends chairman Rose Parry and Haslemere Health Group chairman Ian Doolitte.

“As you know there is widespread concern in your constituency about the plan to establish the two Hyper Acute Stroke Units in the north west of the county,” they protested.

“The response to the consultation on the plan made it very clear those living in this part of the county want one of the HASUs to be in the RSCH.

“It is essential “our” HASU is as close as possible in order to minimise journey times, which are critical for stroke patients.

“We urge you as our MP – not as Secretary of State – to support your constituents views publicly and make clear your support for a Guildford HASU.”

Speaking to The Herald afterwards, Mr Doolittle objected: “It is a simple question of geography.

“For stroke victims journey times are critical. Why create two hubs close to one another in the north west of the county at Frimley and Ashford? Why not use the Royal Surrey and have one of the hubs in Guildford?”

Mr Hunt said in response: “I totally understand the concerns around these plans although my own strong view is that the issue is more about ambulance response times than whether the new unit is at Royal Surrey or Frimley. But on September 7, we will find out the outcome of the independent investigation into these plans, which I commissioned, so we should wait for that before drawing any conclusions.”