NHS staff at Kingston Hospital launch campaign against potential closures (From Surrey Comet)

NHS staff at Kingston Hospital launch campaign against potential closures

6:33pm Tuesday 16th February 2010

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Nurses, midwifes and NHS workers have launched their own campaign against potential closure or downgrading of hospital services which could include Kingston Hospital.

But they have decided against joining the Save Kingston Hospital campaign led by the Liberal Democrats despite being persuaded by the evidence leaked to the party.

Edward Davey, Kingston and Surbiton MP, has been handed key pages of the final draft of the South West London Review which shows that in 16 out of 18 options being considered, Kingston would lose at least one major service including accident and emergency and maternity.

The Unison union workers believe all of the hospitals need to be saved and do not want to see St George’s Hospital, Mayday in Croydon, St Helier and Kingston being "played off against each other".

Geoff Martin, chairman of London Health Emergency, said: "No one should be under any illusions – we are embarking on an all-out fight to stop the South West London Review smuggling through a package of cuts that would devastate health services in our area.

"These are cash-led cuts to beds and emergency units that would axe and downgrade services across the region while piling intolerable pressure on St George’s in Tooting."

Nora Pearce, Unison representative and midwife at Kingston Hospital, said: "All of us working in the hospitals at the centre of this review know that our services are running full tilt at the moment.

"If anything is closed it will cause total chaos and that’s why we have to stand together in a united campaign across the whole area."

Kevin O’Brien, Unison branch secretary at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals, said: "We have been engaged in a fight for more than ten years to stop the axing of services at both Epsom and St Helier and it looks like we are going to have to mobilise once again right across this area to stave off yet another misguided package of cuts dressed up as a strategic review.

"The constant speculation over cuts and closures has a dangerously corrosive effect on staff morale and it will fall to the NHS staff unions to lead the fight back against any attempts to close or downgrade our hospitals."

The Conservatives, Labour and the Green Party have accused the Liberal Democrats of scaremongering before the general election.

To see all of the the Surrey Comet's paper and online coverage of the issue, including leaked documents and information, visit the Threats to Kingston Hospital section.

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