MEMBERS of the Bromsgrove and Redditch Labour Group teamed up to take part in protests demanding funding for the Alexandra Hospital.
The group gathered in Redditch Town Centre to speak to the public about issues such as difficulties getting GP appointments and treatment waiting lists.
The campaigners believe the NHS needs to be more significantly funded and feel there’s a growing need to train more doctors, nurses and midwives.
Bromsgrove Labour’s Sam Ammar said the protest was organised after reading an article in the Redditch Standard earlier this month.
In the article, a Redditch mother described the chaotic and unhygienic conditions at the Alex hospital’s A&E after a distressing visit.
Sam Ammar added: “It is a stain of shame on this country for us to have sick children rolling on the floors of hospitals waiting to be seen.
“These types of scenes are not fit for Britain and we do not accept it.
“We are watching the government destroying the health safety net that every citizen in this country has had for many years.”
Redditch Coun Sharon Harvey said residents were ‘overwhelmingly supportive’ of staff at the Alex but recognised they were trying to deal with crisis after crisis.
She said: “It’s now been 7 years since the Alex lost maternity, quickly followed by paediatrics, and a flawed consultation which allowed the Acute Trust to downgrade our local hospital to an elective surgery centre with an A&E which is unable to deal with large-scale emergencies, trauma, strokes, cardiac arrests, gynaecology or any sick children who need a hospital bed.”
Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We have invested a significant amount in improving and expanding services at the Alexandra in the last 12 months, including the recent introduction of state of the art robotic assisted surgery, and a new breast imaging unit.
“Work is also underway on a new theatre complex, and today we have announced the approval of more funding which will enable the expansion of endoscopy services.
“We were also pleased to announce this week that the Garden Suite will also be returning to the Alex as early as next month.
“This is an opportunity for our local community to get behind our hard working staff and celebrate this significant investment, and understand that the Alex plays an integral part of a network of our hospital services, providing high quality care for people from across the county and beyond and has a number of clear and important roles to play.
“These include the provision of a 24/7 Emergency Department for adults, and as an elective surgical centre which will have a crucial role to play in tackling the waiting lists for planned surgery which have grown significantly during the pandemic and improving the quality of care for patients waiting for a wide range of surgery and other procedures.
“The changes to maternity and paediatric services were the subject of extensive public consultation and were followed by an inclusive public service review which endorsed the service changes as presenting the best way to deliver sustainable and high quality services for patients.”
