Residents invited to take part in photo protest by campaign group SaveWycombeHospital
Campaign group SaveWycombeHospital are inviting residents to take part in a photo protest to get beds reopened and stop downgrades to Buckinghamshire’s hospitals.
Residents are being asked to send in photographs from wherever they are on Tuesday 24th April 2018 for the photo protest. People can send in photos as individuals, couples or groups with their hand in the stop position and with an optional message such as ‘Reopen beds‘ and ‘No more downgrades‘ if they wish. Comments and stories can also be sent in.
The ‘community hub’ pilot at Marlow and Thame which resulted in another 20 overnight bed closures is due to be discussed at Buckinghamshire County Council’s HASC committee meeting set to take place at 10.30am on Tuesday 24th April 2014 in Mezzanine Room 1, County Hall, Aylesbury.
Campaigner Miss Ozma Hafiz said: ‘It’s difficult for most people to attend the Aylesbury meeting therefore we have decided to arrange a protest which people can take part in from wherever they are. This could potentially get people around them talking too and help raise awareness that the HASC meeting on Tuesday 24th April in Aylesbury is an important one. The Trust will be presenting their report and we are hoping that questions will actually be answered.
We know that hospitals in our region are overwhelmed. Oxford has had to cancel operations this year due to a lack of beds.
I’ve been speaking to patients from the National Spinal Injuries Unit in (overwhelmed) Stoke Mandeville who are having their treatment delayed due to general patients taking over their beds.
Knowing of a case where a patient was taken to a main hospital which could have been avoided had Marlow beds been open, closure of community hospital beds and Wards such as 5B will be having an impact on Stoke.
One of the NSIC patients I spoke to developed sepsis while waiting for a bed. Sepsis is not only life threatening, but this also resulted in extra costs such as for additional treatment needed including a hospital stay for sepsis, scans, physiotherapy and care at home.
Knowing of these cases, it will be shocking if ward closures continue past this 12 month pilot, let alone if any more overnight bed closures are being rolled out.
Please join us by sending in a photograph to add pressure to the HASC meeting. We want to show that we want beds to be reopened and any further downgrades to Bucks’ hospitals to stop. The HASC committee have the power to reject the proposals and refer to the Health Secretary. We need to call on them to do this.‘
Linda Derrick, another campaigner said: ‘I tried to put down some questions to HASC as a member of the public. However, HASC’s deadline for questions was last Thursday – only hours after the report went on line. The report is complex, jargon-ridden and 51 pages long and HASC refused to extend the deadline. This is undemocratic and lacks any real scrutiny.
These decisions are not just about Marlow and Thame Hospitals. The Trust now intends to rollout hubs across Bucks, including at Buckingham, Amersham and Chalfont hospitals. The bed closures need to stop.‘
The meeting will be web cast on the Bucks County Council website, further information is available at https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=137.
Photos and comments can be emailed to [email protected], tweeted in to @HandBackOurHosp and posted on the Save Wycombe Hospital Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/savewycombehospital/. People can also write to their local councillors. The campaign remains whole community friendly and apolitical.
The SaveWycombeHospital campaign group petition can be viewed at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/no-further-downgrades-of-buckinghamshire-s-hospitals-including-community-hospitals.
