CARES - health services update
April 2008
On Friday 28th March 2008 Cath Regan and Margaret Brown, Co-Chairs of CARES, met with Theresa Villiers MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Transport) at a Conservative function held at the Scarisbrick Hotel, Southport.
Theresa Villiers MP (far right) pictured at the event with Ainsdale's Cllr Brenda Porter and Mr Phil King, Chairman of Southport Conservatives
During the meeting CARES highlighted the big problems regarding unreliable transport links between the Southport and Ormskirk hospitals and concerns over babies being born on route to Ormskirk Maternity Hospital.
Cllr. Brenda Porter (pictured here at a CARES meeting back in October 2005 campaigning passionately for lost services to the returned) invited CARES to the Theresa Villiers event.
http://www.cares.ukhome.net/cares_meeting_with_parry.htm
Sadly this well-meant picture of Cllr Porter, in typical hardliner campaigning mode, has has been blatantly 'misused' by Southport Libdems. See this link for factual details regarding this odious issue:
http://www.cares.ukhome.net/brenda_focus.htm
Regardless of such unbelievable abuse directed against her, Cllr Porter continues to campaign vigorously at every opportunity against serious health cuts affecting our town.
Health Guide booklet for Southport families
CARES also met recently with the PCT to discuss a booklet
being set up entitled ‘Your guide to local health services’.
The new information under scrutiny from members of the Southport Party with CARES Co-chair Margaret Brown (far right.)
CARES have since been sent copies for distribution of both the
finished booklet and a small pocket sized guide on choosing help with health
needs.
This small pocket sized guide does not actually fit in what CARES had originally
asked the PCT for, which was a small laminated card to keep by the phone with
direct phone numbers on to access the right health care. Nevertheless, the
booklet is very informative, visually easy to read and does in fact hold a
directory of useful numbers.
CARES are still extremely active and our fight for lost
health services to be reinstated has never stopped. We are absolutely
committed to keeping the health needs of our town in the forefront of the minds
of the key decision makers.
Trust wanting to remove more beds at Southport?
Cath Regan, CARES Co-chair, stated:
" Although CARES welcome any valuable health proposals for Southport, I am highly suspicious of any new NHS/PCT initiative that demands the further 'loss' of our disappearing Southport Health facilities. We have already lost our children’s A&E and maternity unit and, according to what the Southport Visiter has told us, it seems now the Trust wants to deprive us of 28 beds. When the Trust removed our children’s and maternity services they told us, via the controversial and now largely discredited Shield’s Report, that it was for our own good. Five years down the line we still do not accept this situation as being in any way beneficial to unimpressed Southport families. We have recently seen the Maternity Unit in Ormskirk close its doors twice to women in labour due to being overstretched. Reports of no pillows available for patients and one patient actually falling out of bed in the past few months are still in our minds. There are so many things wrong with the services we are offered, or rather refused, in this town. To take away another 28 hospital beds seems a ludicrous situation if true."
Cath Regan, CARES Co-chair
Stop press:
Reporter John Siddle of the Southport Visiter has just reported on this issue - check this link for details:
Dune FM radio have also interviewed Cath Regan about this issue today (9th April 08).
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No surrender!
Unyielding CARES members Margaret Brown and Cath Regan (with mini-helpers) pictured recently outside the Ainsdale clinic. The banner displayed was used on the 2003 protest march when an estimated 4000 residents showed the NHS/PCT exactly what they thought of the diabolical cuts in our children's' and maternity services. The fight goes on!
http://www.cares.ukhome.net/march_pictures.htm
Southport still urgently requires essential health services for families and their children at the 'real' point of need. Our pressure to gain results will continue.
Please surf this link for more information regarding the ongoing CARES campaign:
http://www.cares.ukhome.net/news.htm