MP Andy Runs 10km for Hospitals Campaign
And helps deliver 70,000 strong petition opposing NHS plans
Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter and a team of supporters have completed a 10km run in Regents Park to raise funds for the campaign against NHS plans to close A&E services at Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals.
The MP says: " Sunday was anything but a day of rest for the Save H & F campaign committee: Chair, Carlo Nero, Secretary Andy Slaughter and Treasurer John Grigg, donned their Save our Hospitals T-shirts and joined Regents Park regulars for a 9am, ten kilometre run to raise funds for the campaign. "
The run followed Saturday's march and rally, where local politicians of all parties, as well as health workers and the leaders of the Community campaign from across west London spoke about how these cuts were an attack on the health service, and would endanger people’s lives.
At the rally the Chair of the campaign, Carlo Nero read out messages of support from his mother, actress Vanessa Redgrave as well as colleagues Sheila Hancock and Sir Ian McKellen.
Says Andy: " The sunny weather that the marchers enjoyed on Saturday held for the runners, who were joined by campaign supporters Jelena Bote and Tobias Dawson, who though only 16, completed the 10k in a remarkable 39 minutes and three seconds."
The runners left to right: campaign chair Carlo Nero, MP Andy Slaughter, campaign supporters Jelena Bote and Tobias Dawson and treasurer John Grigg
On the following day, Monday October 8, the consultation on closing A&Es across North West London closed, and at lunchtime, the Save Our Hospitals campaigns from Hammersmith & Fulham, Ealing and Brent went together to the Headquarters of NHS NW London to present bosses with a petition containing the signatures of 70,000 residents opposed to the cuts.
Despite the rain, supporters carried the massive petition into the Marylebone HQ on an NHS stretcher to hammer home the point. Chair of SoH Hammersmith, Carlo Nero, Ealing Council Leader Julian Bell and Hammersmith Labour leader Stephen Cowan led a deputation of representatives from across the three boroughs and presented the NHS London Health bosses with the huge petition.
MP Andy says: " This consultation has been a sham, and a complete waste of public money. The NHS have told us which option they want to push through. Hospital trusts like Chelsea and Westminster have even misspent public money running campaigns asking the public to vote for options which will close our A&Es.
" If NHS management and the government want to know what people think of these proposals, they need look no further than the stretcher full of signatures we have just delivered – 70,000 people saying an unequivocal 'No' to the closure of their hospitals.
" These plans need to be shelved immediately and a proper dialogue started with the public over how to improve our health service. We will not rest until that happens."
Save Our Hospitals is run by a group of local people along with MP Andy Slaughter. You can find out more about the Save our Hospitals and offers your supports at the website and follow it on twitter, hashtag #Saveourhospitals.
You can read more about Hammersmith and Fulham Council's opposition to the plans on its website at Save Charing Cross Hospital and Save Hammersmith Hospital.
October 10, 2012
