Mole Valley’s MP believes a call for the Government to consult the local community about the possible closure of the UK’s leading rehabilitation centre for injured servicemen is "jumping the gun".
At a full Mole Valley council meeting last Tuesday, Lib Dem councillor David Preedy successfully tabled a motion saying that Government ministers must engage with the area’s community to ensure all possible uses for Headley Court are investigated before its future role is decided.
He also called on local MPs to lobby ministers over the issue.
When the Epsom Guardian revealed last February plans by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to create a new £300m Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) in the Midlands, to replace Headley Court, near Epsom, the news was greeted with shock and surprise.
Sir Paul Beresford, MP for Mole Valley, believes the community should not "jump the gun" over the future of Headley Court
Headley Court, an institution that has had very strong local support, boasts state-of-the-art facilities and a world-class team of 400 staff who have helped to rebuild the lives of so many injured servicemen and women.
Huge amounts of investment have been injected into it in recent years, including a cutting-edge Medicinema, launched with funds raised by the Royal British Legion, which opened there last October, and a £8.5m Help for Heroes Rehabilitation Centre which opened in 2010.
But reacting to Coun Preedy’s call to arms, based on the belief than outright closure of Headley Court as a military facility is now under serious consideration by the MoD, Sir Paul Beresford said: "The people we need to think about are the patients.
"The DNRC would be a really quite special unit, providing more than is at Headley Court - better and broader services, probably a world leading service for our soldiers.
"David Preedy obviously hasn’t done his research. He needs to recognise that we need to look at those solgrdiers first.
"Help for Heroes are aware of this and have been working with the plans."
When the Epsom Guardian clarified further that Coun Preedy was not against a DNRC, but is concerned about the expertise which would go to waste at Headley Court if it is approved, Sir Paul added: "There are questions that should be asked about the expertise, particularly of physiotherapists.
"But it’s quite far off.
"One of the problems with Headley Court is it’s very restrictive due to planning conditions and its size.
"At this stage what David Preedy is asking for is jumping the gun. We don’t actually know it’s going to go ahead. It may not happen.
"I have been watching it. When the right point is reached then of course we will get stuck in there because the facilities can be used for other relevant types of treatment.
But we have to recognise the enormous restrictions that facility has, as well as the enormous expertise of the people there. Some of them will not want to move. So it may be that it could be a facility for the NHS.
"Don’t let’s open the door on this until we have some ideas of where we are going with it.
"One of the things you learn from experience is not to go charging in because the things we do it for do not happen.
"Let’s wait and see. Mr Preedy is shooting his shots too early."
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