THE political leaders of Redditch and Bromsgrove have stood shoulder to shoulder in defence of the Alexandra Hospital with the clearest indication yet that health trust bosses have gone too far with their sudden closure of the maternity unit there.
“This is it – this will be sorted out,” said a clearly angry Karen Lumley MP.
“It has gone on for far too long – five years ago I was promised it would be sorted out in six months and it’s clear that the Alex not only has to stay but that it offers all the high quality services that the people of Redditch deserve.”
Her comments come after she joined Redditch and Bromsgrove council leaders Councillor Bill Hartnett and Coun Margaret Sherrey at a meeting with the Trust Development Authority.
Coun Hartnett said they had left the TDA in no doubt over the strength of feeling in the towns.
“I told them about the midwife who had returned her 25 years long service medal in disgust at the health trust’s actions, the transfers of pregnant women to Hull, Gloucester and Portsmouth, I showed them the picture of the Save the Alex banner outside the Council House, how we were all standing together and that enough is enough!” he said.
All eyes now turn to a meeting by the leaders together with Bromsgrove and Stratford MPs Sajid Javid and Nadhim Zahawi with the Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt next Wednesday (November 18) however any firm action will probably wait until the publicaton of the Care Quality Commission report into Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust, expected in the next three to four weeks.
ADD YOUR NAME: A PETITION has been launched to protest against the closure of the maternity unit as the Alex.
It says: “We the undersigned do not support cuts to our A&E or Maternity Services at the Alexandra Hospital.
“We urge Jeremy Hunt to step in urgently and remove responsibility for running our hospital from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and place it with another trust who can seek to provide the services the people of this area need.”
Copes of the petition can be picked up and returned when completed from the offices of the Redditch Standard in Church Green East, Redditch.
