THE possible closure of the Royal Surrey County Hospital will result in a "significant increase" in ambulance waiting times, according to a survey released this week. Senior Surrey ambulance personnel fear lives will be put at risk if the hospital is closed and have warned of lengthy waiting times in an anonymous survey conducted by the Save the Royal Surrey Campaign. For a seriously ill patient, the time taken to reach a fully equipped A&E department can be critical to their chances of survival . People living in Cranleigh or Haslemere would wait twice as long as at present, according to the survey's findings, while those in Guildford could wait up to four times longer. There would also be significant increases for those in Chiddingfold, Horsley and Effingham. William Winton, a former Guildford resident now living in Portsmouth, received emergency treatment at the Royal Surrey following a road accident on the A3 in October 2006. He said: "If it wasn't for the Royal Surrey my prospects would have been far worse. Thanks to the amazing job of the medics at the hospital my serious injuries have not ruined my life as they could so easily have. If these damaging cuts go ahead, others in my situation might not be so lucky." Professor Chris Marks, chair of the Save the Royal Surrey Campaign, said he was glad that people working in the emergency services were worried about the "misguided" cuts to the NHS. "These new figures reveal the significant impact that the closure of the Royal Surrey would have on blue-light travel times. People working in the emergency services are deeply worried about the impact closure could have on those with life-threatening conditions - and so they should be. "As a doctor, I know only too well that getting people to hospital quickly is vital. These cuts are misguided and could put patients' lives at risk." More information on the Save the Royal Surrey Campaign can be found at http://www.savetheroyalsurrey.org.uk">www.savetheroyalsurrey.org.uk
