A CONCERNED councillor has called a public meeting with top health chiefs to let people "in the hills" know about the potential threats to Macclesfield Hospital.
Sutton borough councillor, Hilda Gaddum, has organised the gathering for Tuesday, February 28, from 7pm at Swythamley and Heaton Centre, Gun End, Rushton Spencer.
Acting chief executive of Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust, Gary Raphael, along with Future Healthcare in Eastern Cheshire project manger, Debbie Ingleby, have also been invited.
Coun Gaddum said: "It is open to everyone but aimed at people from the outlying area and surrounding villages. There will also be presentations from Gary Raphael and Debbie Ingleby.
"I asked for this meeting in the hills because I am very concerned, a lot of people in Staffordshire and Derbyshire use Macclesfield Hospital.
"If you have got wintery weather and someone is in labour, you are ten miles away from Macclesfield already and then to go to Stepping Hill could be very difficult.
"The meeting is to let residents know what's happening and so they can decide how they wish to respond individually and I encourage people to do so.
"There will be two presentations, then questions and comments from the audience so they can have their say.
"There will be impact on these rural areas - at the back reaches of Wildboarclough you are in the Pennines and to get over these hills you have already got problems, without making that journey much longer for ambulances and patients."
The meeting has also been organised by Gill Heath, a district councillor for Staffordshire Moorlands and county councillor for Stafford, and is aimed at places such as Sutton, Macclesfield Forest, Swythamley, Wildboarclough, Wincle, Dane Bridge, Heaton and Rushton Spencer.
