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CORONATION Street star Andy Whyment signs the Advertiser petition. He’s joined outside Hope Hospital by his mum Jackie and Advertiser news editor Emma Fitzgerald.
CORONATION Street star Andy Whyment signs the Advertiser petition. He’s joined outside Hope Hospital by his mum Jackie and Advertiser news editor Emma Fitzgerald.

3,000 sign up to petition

Emma Fitzgerald
19/ 1/2006

ALMOST 3,000 residents have pledged their support to help save the Salfordian - in just one week.

It was only last week that the Advertiser launched its Hands Off Our Hospital petition and already signatures have been flooding in to the Eccles office.

We have been inundated with petitions opposing the plans by Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA) to scrap maternity services at Hope Hospital.

Soapstar Superstar finalist Andy Whyment and mum Jackie were among the first to sign up during a visit to the unit, to which Andy is donating half of the cash from the show.

The SHA has put forward a preferred option, which would see the facilities at Hope wiped off the map. Mums-to-be would have to travel to hospitals outside the city, including units at Oldham, Bolton, Wigan and St Mary's, Manchester.

The neonatal intensive care unit - one of only three of its kind in the north west - would also be scrapped, leaving three intensive care units at St Mary's, Royal Oldham Hospital and Royal Bolton Hospital.

Hope's facilities will only be saved if the SHA decides to go with Option C.

Our petition could be the difference between the unit staying open and shutting down but residents also need to send in individual letters outlining their concerns about the plans.

Advertiser Editor Vince Hale said: "We knew the people of Salford would get behind the petition but have been astounded by the amount of signatures.

"We are printing the petition again this week and urge everyone who believes women should have the right to give birth in their own city to sign up."

Petitions should be sent to Hope Petition, Salford Advertiser, 30 Church Street, Eccles, M30 ODF.

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.

  • KEEP up to date with all the details of our campaign every week in the Advertiser!

| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(6) | Video ClipsWatch video (1 clips)


Most recent 2 of 6 user comments

   I was devastated to hear about the demise of the Salfordian - an institution I remember with fondness from my youth. I think it wonderful that the Advertiser has launched a campaign. I was also heartened to see the picture of News Editor Emma Fitzgerald in the adjoining picture. It must encouraging for the community that the paper has someone so young and dynamic at the helm.
Duncan, London - formerly Salford
6/11/2006 at 22:19
   Any decision as major as this must take account of the public and patient perspectives. I am opposed to the closure of the maternity services at Hope hospital haveing used them myself and now my family are starting to use them. I bought my house in Eccles because of its proximity to good local health services. If they were withdrawn then my family would be expected to travel long distances and I believe that this would be detrimental to any female using the services. I understand that there are economies of scale to be gained by closures of such units but believe that these are outweighed by the focus of patient centred decision making and in Salford the people want local services and in this case to think that many children would lose their salfordian birth right which has a major cultural impact for the area. I therefore want to register my opposition to any proposal to close maternity services at Hope hospital.
janice sheath, eccles
26/02/2006 at 18:16
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