A FAMILY day to reflect on the tragic death of Redditch youngster Callum Cartlidge and to highlight the changes happening to health services in Redditch is to be held in the town centre on April 29.
The plan is for the ‘March for Callum’ to be a non-political family-focused event which will start with a silent march from Trinity High School to the bandstand where, for a couple of hours a host of attractions, including face painting, music, a children’s bookseller and more will be held.
The idea of Callum’s family, central to the event will be a heart shape mosaic made up of hand prints from the eight year old’s fellow pupils at Matchborough First School.
Neal Stote of OurNHS Worcestershire said the day would also be an opportunity for local families to find out the changes to health provision in the town and what it will mean for them.
“There will be a very big focus on family health and what is going to be at the Alexandra Hospital,” said Mr Stote.
“It’s a case of letting people know that under the changes the Alex will only have an Accident & Emergency department for adults with a GP-led Urgent Care Centre for children – if they can find the doctors to staff it.
“We’ll be asking families if they think that is appropriate given the hospital serves a population of 200,000 with the highest number of young people in the county, and letting people make their own minds up.”
Under changes already introduced by Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust on patient safety grounds, all emergencies are being transferred to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.
Children’s in-patient services have also been transferred to Worcester along with maternity and major gynaecology cases.
Callum died on Friday, March 3 after being taken by ambulance to the Royal – 19 miles away from Redditch, when his family lived just three minutes from the Alex.
The day before he had been rushed to the Royal after being taken to see his doctor, yet was discharged the same night at 11pm and sent home. An inquiry is currently ongoing.
Any organisation wishing provide family entertainment for March for Callum, which will run from 11am to 2pm, can get in touch with the organisers via the Facebook pages of Save the Alex or OurNHS Worcestershire.
