Councillor calls for judicial review into loss of hospital services

Councillors have agreed to press for a judicial review regarding the down grading of health services in Rochdale following the death of 5-year-old Mohammed Akeel Khan.

Mohammed died of meningitis on Saturday (9 April 2011) -  just days after accident and emergency services at the Infirmary were replaced with an urgent care centre.

Councillor Jean Ashworth, Chairwoman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, asked Councillors at a meeting of full council to “please do something” to help prevent any more deaths.

Councillor Ashworth said: “Akeel shouldn’t have died. This is serious.

“We gave a vote of no confidence and it has gone nowhere. Can we go back and get a judicial review? We have got to give it a try. People deserve to be kept safe.”

Councillor Ashworth said she feels that the borough is being “left unsafe” and that patients “are not being cared for.”

She added: “I am asking this council to please do something. One death is far too many.”

The Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali described the death of Mohammed Akeel Khan as “devastating” he said: “It is just the beginning for us.”

Councillor Ali suggested that a programme be developed to turn the hospital into a community hospital.

The Leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Colin Lambert agreed to fully support Councillor Ashworth’s call for a judicial review.

He said that whilst the Council cannot begin to understand how the family are feeling, his thoughts are with them and he pledged his support to help prevent a death like this happening again.

Councillor Lambert concluded: “We will fight for justice.”

The other parties sitting on Rochdale Council also showed their support and offered their sympathy to the family of Mohammed Akeel Khan.