Fenland’s council leader has urged county health chiefs to investigate a “worrying” loss of services at North Cambs Hospital in Wisbech – and says every district councillor will be invited to submit evidence.
Cllr Chris Boden, leader of Fenland District Council, said he would give all FDC members the chance to respond directly to an invitation from Cllr Liam Dewey‑Beckett, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee.
He wants councillors to share examples, data and casework to help build a picture of how patients are being affected by cuts and service moves at the hospital.
Cllr Boden raised concerns about what he sees as a pattern of decline at North Cambs at a recent full council meeting.
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Services already lost include an MRI scanner, which was supposed to have been removed temporarily last year but was never returned, reduced access to X‑rays, blood tests and ultrasound, and now the prospect of endoscopy services being withdrawn.
He argues that, in an area with high deprivation and poor health outcomes, any further reduction in local provision risks deepening health inequalities for Wisbech and surrounding villages.
Cllr Boden's questions follow concerns raised by local MP and former Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, who has been very vociferous about the cuts in services, calling on health bosses to explain why North Cambs Hospital is being hit in such a way.
In a written response to Cllr Boden, Cllr Dewey‑Beckett said the situation described was “genuinely concerning”, especially given Wisbech’s health profile, and that tackling health inequality was “exactly the sort of issue the scrutiny function exists to test”.
He has promised to take the matter to the county’s health scrutiny committee and ask how it should be prioritised within an already “fairly full” work programme.
Cllr Dewey‑Beckett said he wanted any scrutiny session on North Cambs Hospital to be done “properly” – with the right Integrated Care Board (ICB) and provider representatives present and enough preparation time to ask “well‑evidenced questions”, rather than squeezing it into a rushed single‑item slot.
He has asked Fenland councillors to supply further detail, including dates of service changes, correspondence with the ICB or trust, and specific examples from residents, to strengthen the case for a thorough hearing when it is scheduled.
He added: “Thank you again for flagging this so clearly,” signalling that county councillors are open to a formal examination of how and why services at North Cambs have been eroded, and what that means for patients in one of Cambridgeshire’s most disadvantaged areas.
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