Don’t let Blair wreck hospitals and schools


BLAIR’S GOVERNMENT is destroying our public services. As our reports
from Yorkshire and London show our NHS and our schools are more and more
being handed over to fat-cat business people to make a profit out of
ill-health and education.
Instead of well-funded, planned and democratically accountable
services, we are getting the anarchy of the ‘free market’. The cutbacks
and chaos which this causes are making people angry and determined to
fight back.

HUDDERSFIELD PEOPLE are outraged by proposals for far-reaching
changes to local hospital services that are about saving money not
saving lives.

The plans will mean the closure, and transfer to Halifax, of
paediatric wards, gynaecology wards and the loss of consultant-led
maternity services with only midwife-led provision at the local
infirmary.

All planned orthopaedic and general surgery will be done in Halifax
with only emergency surgery provided locally. A local hospital providing
in- and out-patient care for those with mental health problems, and for
the elderly is to be closed, and services moved to various sites both
within and outside of the town.

There are also plans to cut ambulance services locally. These
proposals ignited a furious response from staff and public.

Dr JACKIE GRUNSELL, a local GP, opposes the cuts: "These plans will
hit the most vulnerable the hardest. Minutes matter in emergencies when
a woman is in labour or children are acutely ill. Transferring them to
the neighbouring town in these situations will cost lives.

"This move is part of New Labour’s plans nationally, to centralise
NHS services and sell them off to private companies. There will be fewer
children’s beds under the proposals, with cystic fibrosis and epilepsy
sufferers having to travel as far as Bradford and Leeds without the
guarantee of transport provision.

"Elderly people will be forced to travel farther for hip replacements
and other operations. Yet the trust insists this will result in a better
service! Better for the shareholders of corporations taking over the
running of our NHS and profiting from ill health maybe.

"We have set up a ‘Save our NHS’ campaign. This has the support of
midwives and ambulance workers who say they have not been consulted over
the changes and feel they put patients at risk. The campaign plans a
ballot on the proposals in the town centre this Saturday, asking the
public to vote on the issues.

"People are already ringing up to say they’ve copied and distributed
our leaflets and collected hundreds of signatures on petitions. A public
meeting is planned for 23 November at Huddersfield town hall with plans
for a demonstration in December.

"If the anger expressed so far is transformed into action we can stop
these attacks taking place."