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BRIAN Minor, chairman of the PPIH, says people need to act now before it’s too late.
How you can give hope to hospital
12/ 1/2006
THE Advertiser has launched a petition to get Salfordians behind the campaign to keep maternity services in the city.
Plans to scrap the service from Hope Hospital have been outlined in a Making It Better document that has now been released for public consultation.
Residents have until April 13 to submit their views and urge the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA) to change the preferred option.
At the moment the authority is opting for Option A, which would see Hope's neonatal and maternity facilities wiped off the map.
Instead, mothers would have to travel to other hospitals outside the city to units including Oldham, Bolton, Wigan and St Mary's, Manchester.
Hope's special care baby unit would also be scrapped, leaving three intensive care units at St Mary's Hospital, Royal Oldham Hospital and Royal Bolton Hospital.
The only choice for keeping services at Hope is Option C.
Brian Minor, chairman of the Patient and Public Involvement in Health (PPIH) forum for Salford Royal Hospitals, says residents need to act now before it's too late.
He said: "People need to sign the petition but also send individual letters to Making It Better to make it clear exactly what strength of feeling there is against these plans. The more letters sent in, the better.
"The health authority's own figures show that Salford is the fourth-highest for deprivation in Greater Manchester, so why should women here have to travel out of the city to give birth?"
Mr Minor added: "The special care baby unit has got all the best gear and to move the staff and equipment would cost millions. It's ludicrous."
Ian Rhodes, the SHA's head of communications, said: "This is not a ballot for people to say 'yes' or 'no' - we need people to read the document and give reasons for keeping the service at Hope.
"We have included an option with Hope's services maintained and if that's what people want then they need to get behind that option and tell us their reasons for keeping it.
"We have a preferred option but it doesn't mean we can't change our minds. At the moment nothing is set in stone."
Views can be submitted by either writing to FREEPOST, Making It Better or e-mailing consultation.response@gmsha.nhs.uk.
To read the consultation document visit: www.bestforhealth.nhs.uk or contact: 0800 587 2901.
To add your name to the petition online, click on 'Submit your comments' below and fill in the form inlcuding your name and address, and any comments you wish to make.
Alternatively you can download a printable copy of the petition, and your own campaign poster by clicking the links below. You must have Adobe Acrobat on your computer to read the file - you can download this free from www.adobe.comMost recent 2 of 206 user comments
12/12/2006 at 14:53
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