Demonstration over hospital cuts

Aug 2 2006 By Emma Cullwick, Birmingham Mail

CAMPAIGNERS have pledged to stage their biggest protest to date against plans to cut hospital services.

Action group Save the Alex hopes thousands of families across north Worcestershire will join forces to take part on October 5 in a mass demonstration against proposals to end maternity, children's and gynaecology services at the Alexandra Hospital, in Redditch.

Mums-to-be would no longer be able to give birth in Redditch and would face a journey to either Worcester or Birmingham.

Emergency treatment for children would be down-graded, and inpatient wards moved to Worcester.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which is £32 million in debt, claimed the proposals were vital to boost patient safety.

Save the Alex chairman, Neal Stote, said: "We are hoping this will be our biggest protest yet. We must continue to fight these cuts before it is too late."

He appealed for volunteers to help drop leaflets through doors or to staff campaign desks, due to be set up in town centres, supermarkets and at the hospital itself.

The group is also looking for donations to help fund campaign costs.

Mr Stote added: "I would appeal to Birmingham Mail readers to help us in any way they can.

"The more people who protest on Thursday, October 5, the harder it will be for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to remove vital family services from our hospital."

The protest will be staged outside the Alexandra from 11.30am, followed by a march at 1pm. It will coincide with a trust board meeting set to take place at the hospital in Woodrow Drive, Red-ditch, at 2pm.

Anyone wanting to help can contact Mr Stote on 07989 563 864 or e-mail info@savethealex.co.uk.

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