Save our NHS Hull and East Yorkshire activists took to the streets to listen to the concerns of the community regarding the raft of £99 million in cuts imposed on the local Trust by Andrew Lansley’s Department of Health.
210 signatures were collected by activists on Newland Ave.
In Anlaby 282 people queued to sign our petition calling for an immediate rebate of the money lost. This has seen the Trust axe Ward Six at Castle Hill losing vital cardiac capacity. Prof. John Cleland, Head of Cardiology said of these cuts, “Government health watchdog the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) describe these cuts as “dangerous” and I would concur with that”.
Tory Party Councillors and members were campaigning for their Police Commissioner Candidate Matthew Grove. They all signed the petition. What does this say about the anger and dismay these cuts are causing right across the community?
In addition 17 cardiologists and seven neurological consultants signed a letter protesting the cuts, which they say will see care “critically eroded”. They also complain that Trust Mangers don’t listen to their advice and take a “dictatorial approach” to imposing the cutbacks.
The groundswell of anger in the community is palpable. Theresa Vaughan came up with the idea of asking people to write about their reasons for defending the NHS and to share their experiences. Over 100 letters were taken away and are being returned to the freepost address advertised.
A nurse spent 20 minutes sharing with us about how hospital mangers stamp on any questions that are around shortcoming in the Trust, especially regarding under staffing in potentially dangerous areas. She also said that discussion threads on the staff intranet were shutdown if comments were not glowing enough about hospital practices.
A young mother was full of praise for the caring staff at the Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Hull when complications arose with her daughter’s delivery.
A husband shared with us the superb care that his wife received at the Cancer Hospital at Castle Hill.
The final signatory told us he would, “Fight tooth and nail for the NHS as it belongs to us when all is said and done”.
By Danny Foster, Theresa Vaughan, Emma Ann Hardy, Dean Kirk, Shaun Moody, Dermot Rathbone, Nikki Osborne, Duncan Anderson and Sarah Melvin.
Save Our NHS Hull and East Yorkshire 