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20 thousand march against hospital closure

Cornish friend | 19.04.2002 15:07

On Saturday, 20 thousand people marched to protest against proposals to shut A&E department at West Cornwall hospital.

On Saturday 13th April, 20 thousand marched in Penzance against the proposed closure of the A&E department at the West Cornwall Hospital. If this closure happens, the nearest casualty department will be 20 miles away in Truro.

Amongst those present were previous patients from the hospital who would not have survive if they had had to drive 20 miles or wait for ambulances to reach them in remote rural areas.

From "The Cornishman"
09:30 - 18 April 2002

Twenty thousand people - one in three of the population of Penwith - marching for their hospital must not be ignored.

This was the largest demonstration seen in Cornwall in living memory and it was just magnificent.

The trust's mealy-mouthed response to this mammoth protest is not acceptable.(see story this page).

They are staring in the face of 20,000 of the silent majority who have been stirred from inactivity by the unwillingness of the trust to listen to their simple demands.

These are the people the trust seeks to meet with it minuscule meetings in a number of not yet announced venues throughout West Cornwall, continuing a 'consultation process' that has failed to engage, let alone consult, from the outset.

A consultation process based on two options, neither acceptable to the people of Penwith, calling into question the integrity of the whole process.

Meanwhile nurses and other sources at West Cornwall Hospital are seriously challenging assertions made by the review team over the number of casualties being taken to the hospital by ambulance and treated there and the status of the casualty unit.

Again such obfuscation by the review team will not wash. They will not be allowed to get away with such 'spin' - and that's the polite word for it.

It is time for them to listen to 20,000 Cornishmen. The message is clear and simple: Retain and improve services at the hospital and make the necessary investments to meet the standards required: Nothing more, nothing less.

been alive had it not been for the department. These included heart attack victims who had survived but would not have done if they had had to wait to ambulances to reach them in remote rural areas.


From the Cornishman:

Cornish friend

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

Hope this does the trick

19.04.2002 18:21

This is fantastic news, I was travveling home from Cornwall on the day of the protest, otherwise I would have joined the march, although a mere holiday maker. Every house and shop displayed posters for this event and I had no doubt it would be huge. Solidarity from the London holidaymakers posse, I really hope your message is heared.

mere tourist


rise up Cornwall!!!!

19.04.2002 20:05

exellent news from cornwall
we need is for more regions to follow cornwall,s example,and then we all stand up together at the same time
good people bring your grievence to london on may 1st
par;iament is sitting ,,,let them here your voices along with thousands of others,,,join the mayday demo ,we are many they ....better listen

a pasty lover