Archive for December 2009
A quick post to note that more than 1000 people have now signed our on-line petition to save the Whittington.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign so for and please encourage your family, friends and work colleagues to sign up as well.
Do read today’s Islington Tribune for more coverage of our public meeting earlier in the week: http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2009/dec/save-our-hospital
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Packed meeting says save Whittington
0 Comments | Posted by Catherine West in Public Meeting
Almost 300 local residents met in a packed Archway Methodist Church last night to campaign against the possible closure of the Whittington Hospital’s A&E department. The meeting saw the first signs of the campaign’s pressure paying off.
The meeting was called by Jeremy Corbyn MP, who was joined by MPs Emily Thornberry and David Lammy as well as Karen Jennings, UNISON’s National Secretary for Health.
Also speaking at the meeting was Rachel Tyndell, who is chairing the review into health provision in North Central London, who explained what the regional NHS is planning.
The standing-room-only crowd told their stories of what the Whittington means to them and why they oppose any closure.
The meeting also saw the first signs of a shift from NHS London as retaining A&E was included as one of the options that the review will now look at (more…)
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Come to the meeting, sign the petition
0 Comments | Posted by Catherine West in Uncategorized
This Wednesday, you can have your chance to have a say on the Whittington Hospital campaign at the public meeting.
The meeting is taking place from 7pm at Archway Methodist Church, Archway Close, London N19 3TD.
Also, it’s not too late to sign the petition. We want to keep the pressure up in the campaign, so please sign the petition if you haven’t already.
www.savethewhittington.org.uk/petition
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Islington Council unites to Save the Whittington
0 Comments | Posted by Richard Watts in Uncategorized
The following motion was agreed unanimously at last night’s Islington Council meeting:
Council is concerned that Accident and Emergency services at Whittington Hospital, Archway are under threat and could be cut under plans put forward by the NHS.
Council notes that:
The plans were revealed in a letter from North Central London NHS sub-region which sets out four options for reorganising NHS services across North London. All four options described in the letter would see Whittington designated as a local hospital with ‘no emergency services’, which will mean casualty services being axed.
The loss of the Whittington’s Accident and Emergency department – the only remaining in either Islington or our neighbouring borough of Haringey would be to the severe detriment of our local community. It would lead to significantly increasing journey times to A&E and mean local residents would be unable to access basic emergency health service in their own borough.
Council is further concerned that there could be more cuts to services at the Whittington.
Council calls on the NHS to retain the Accident and Emergency Service at the Whittington Hospital and provide assurances that no services will be lost at the Whittington.
Council therefore asks the Leader of the Council, with support from local Members of Parliament and Assembly Members, to write to the Chief Executive of the North Central London NHS sub-region expressing our deep concern about the future of the Whittington and our desire to see its Accident and Emergency Service remain open.
People’s stories of the good the Whittington has done them have been moving to hear. That is why we have made this video.
Please watch the video and add your story of what the Whittington means to you. Check back soon to see the stories we publish.
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Jeremy Corbyn debates Whittington in Parliament
1 Comment | Posted by Catherine West in Uncategorized
Jeremy Corbyn MP secured an adjournment debate on the Whittington in Parliament last night.
The Islington North MP spoke against any closure of the Whittington’s A&E Department. He said: “If we allow the proposal to go ahead and if we lose the A and E department, everything else is at risk, entailing a huge waste of public money and resources.”
In response to the debate, the Health Minister, Mike O’Brien MP criticised consultation on ‘fuzzy’ proposals and, in response to a question from Emily Thornberry MP, said that in his view, no case for closure had been made.
Click here to watch the debate (begins at 8:43.40)
You can sign up to support the Save the Whittington campaign by joining the facebook group. Click here to join the group.
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Support growing for Save the Whittington campaign
0 Comments | Posted by Richard Watts in Uncategorized
Islington is sending a very clear message to the local NHS: Save the Whittington!
At the time of writing well over 500 people have signed the petition on this website. Many supporters have left touching messages which show just how important the Whittington is to the local community.
Campaigners were out and about over the weekend and collected hundreds more signatures on a paper copy of the petition.
Meanwhile in cyberspace, Islington residents have been blogging, tweeting and Facebook-ing their support.
Preparations are continuing for the public meeting on 9 December (7pm at Archway Methodist Church) – be there to show your support for our local hospital.
Come to the public meeting on Wednesday 9 December from 7pm at Archway Methodist Church, Archway Close, London N19 3TD.
Don’t miss your chance to find out what is being planned and to have your say.
It will be chaired by Jeremy Corbyn MP and representatives of NHS London have been invited.
Click here for a map to Archway Methodist Church.
By Jeremy Corbyn MP
From the Islington Tribune
The Whittington Hospital’s accident and emergency unit treated 80,000 people last year. These patients walked through the door or were driven there with a blue-light ambulance and received first-rate treatment from highly dedicated staff.
A few miles away, similar numbers were treated at an A&E unit at the Royal Free and across the road from Euston station is the new University College London Hospital, which treated more than 130,000.
