5000 people march to defend West Cumbria's hospitals

The "Save Our Services" march was a massive success: it was initially estimated by the police that about 4,000 people attended to support local hospitals. That was the figure was quoted in the rally at the end, and it seems to be the number which has gone into community memory as the attendance. However, the police subsequently revised their estimate upward to about 5,000.

The march had support throughout the community from Conservative and Labour politicians to Help the Aged, from Trade Unions in the NHS and at Sellafield to the Rugby Club, the motorcycle club, and everyone you could imagine.

People also came from throughout West Cumbria: I recognised people at the march from St Bees to Lamplugh and from Whitehaven through Egremont, Seascale and down to Millom, and I know there were representatives present from local communities in just about every other part of West Cumbria.

All of them came to send the Strategic Health Authority and Patricia Hewitt the message that we want to defend our hospital services.

As one speaker put it, what price can you put on the pain of an expectant mother with complications who has to travel forty to sixty miles over some of the worst roads in the country to Carlisle or Barrow if we did not have a consultant-led maternity unit in West Cumbria ?

It's been suggested to me that this was the biggest demonstration that Whitehaven has ever seen. The community is united to defend our hospitals. And we will keep up the pressure.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I wasn't at the demonstartion but have attended similar ones for the cottage hospital services. I only hope that the incarnation of Mrs Thatcher that is Patricia Hewitt (Hew it and Hack 'em). We see that she is flying in the face of public desires and will only suffer total ignomy in the next election she faces. Hectoring the NHS that she has fashioned is not action it is bullying.
Chris Whiteside said…
Thanks for that. When Frank Dobson was removed as Health Secretary I thought that even this government could not possibly appoint anyone worse, but Ms Hewitt is approaching the point where everyone will agree that she is.

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