Kirkby campaigners get support


Karen Seymour

Kirkby Hospital in Nottinghamshire provides valuable care to, among others, dementia and stroke patients. Now it is proposed that these and other services are moved to other nearby hospitals.

A ‘consultation’ period runs until September. There were sharp exchanges of views at the well-attended meetings I went to.

People can see this as more about helping Kings Mill Hospital, near Mansfield (a PFI project, where some services will relocate) pay off its debts, than improving patient care.

Those wanting the changes dress them up as ‘improvements’, not considering, for example, how people can afford the extra bus fares or extortionate car parking charges at the other sites.

Socialist Party campaigners in Kirkby met people who were very concerned that their well-regarded local hospital could have services cut. As one woman said to me: “There’ll be nothing left in Kirkby soon!” Showing the support for the Socialist Party’s programme campaigners sold 42 papers and got backing for a protest demonstration we are organising for 9 August.