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JAMIE Moore and son Mikey with the petitions.
JAMIE Moore and son Mikey with the petitions.

'All we can do is hope it is enough'

Emma Fitzgerald
11/ 5/2006

SALFORD boxing star Jamie Moore has thrown the final punch in the fight to save Hope Hospital's maternity services by handing over the Advertiser's 26,500-signature petition.

The British Light Middleweight champion and his 11-month-old son Mikey handed over the petitions sent in by Advertiser readers since our Hands Off Hope campaign kicked off in January.

We launched the campaign, supported by Salford City Council, against proposals by Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority which could wipe Hope's maternity unit and neonatal intensive care unit off the map.

The move could signal the end of the Salfordian as, unless parents opt for home births, no child would ever be born in the city again. Jamie, 27, and his wife Colleen, 29, were both born at Hope and welcomed their son into the world at Hope's birth centre last year.

The Walkden boxer said: "Mikey was born a day early and Colleen had him in the birth centre at Hope, where the births are pain-relief free.

"The staff were brilliant and I learned lots from the parent classes we had there.

"My wife and I were both born at Hope and all our families were too.

"I just don't see the point in them closing it because it's really convenient and you couldn't ask for a better service.

"The main thing I'm bothered about is that you won't have anyone born in Salford any more.

"I'm proud to be from Salford and I want any brother or sister of my little boy's to be born here too."

Jamie helped hand the petition - the biggest sent in to date - over to the Children, Young People and Families Network in Manchester, where the public consultation is being co-ordinated.

All responses will be looked at by an external company which will produce a factual report.

That will then be analysed and recommendations made to a Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts which will make the final decision on the plans in the autumn.

For more details visit www.bestforhealth.nhs.uk.


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Most recent 1 of 1 user comments

   I cannot believe Salfordian's are having to go through this. I am so so proud of being born at Hope Hospital in 1976 and a proud Salfordian, although I am on the wrong side of the pennines at the moment I champion the fact to all and sundry where I am from. Hazel Blears should rectify this issue as soon as possible, History and heart go hand in hand, lets not become another faceless fact of the current state of affairs and disallow Salfordians the chance of becoming Salfordians for generations to come. Apart from the history side we need a central point in the city for births to take place. How can people justify taking this away ? Is it just bean counting gone mad ? IS THIS CHANGE DUE TO THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE WE ARE IN ?

Regards

Peter Leighton
Peter J Leighton, Sheffield
13/05/2006 at 00:37
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