Petition carries Melksham community voice
to Houses of Parliament

The petition to have Melksham’s Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) reinstated was received by local MPs outside the Houses of Parliament last week.
Representatives from Melksham Town Council and Melksham Without Parish Council joined campaigners Mary Jarvis and Gill Butler in London where the petition was handed over.
Local MPs Andrew Murrison and Michael Ancram will now pass on the petition to the Secretary of State, Alan Johnson.
MP Andrew Murrison said, “We will request that he notes the strong feelings held with the petition. It is a very well run campaign and it is important to recognise the importance of access to local health services in an area like west Wiltshire. Closing facilities down in our towns means that the area will become something like a desert.”
Gill Butler, who initiated the petition with Mary Jarvis said, “We feel that we have now reached the pinnacle of our campaign and we were impressed with our local MPs taking the time to spend with us.
“The thing to do now is keep the pressure on the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and continue lobbying local MPs and the town and county council.
“The people of Melksham have spoken and they’re very cross about what the PCT are doing. My own personal feeling is that the PCT are ignoring us and I still feel it is a very dangerous situation to have a community this size without the necessary services.”
Wiltshire PCT is holding a board meeting on 20th May, when the decision to close Melksham’s MIU will be reviewed by health chiefs.
Meanwhile, campaigners are urging residents to give details of specific incidents requiring medical attention where they normally would have used the facilities at Melksham’s MIU.
Details of cases can be dropped of at the town hall, or to Melksham Without Parish Council offices. If there are enough responses before the 16th May, they will be presented before the PCT board at the meeting on 20th May.