I am intending to get the 14:26 from Lewisham to Charlton. If that's late then its either a bus or the 14:56 which arrives after kick off. I expect there to be 10-20,000 people there and the buses will be a mess, if they are running at all, so be careful if you intend to get there that way.
Watched the debate in parliament on TV this morning. As the minister said it was not a debate. Not one speaker in favour of the closure. Decision by 1st February. Will be amazed if the proposal is accepted by the government.
Yes it was great to be there, but it will be so much better if the proposals are defeated. Saw loads of Charlton fans there, the bloke who gave me a placard to carry, loads of others, saw Kevin Nolan, I know Peter Cordwell was there, if you watch the ITV newsclip, almost the last frame a blue suited musician is coming past with his band, and a Charlton neckscarf. I also saw Millwall fans, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, West Ham, and a lot of people. My estimate is 15,000 at least, the demographic of the whole community, but also met people from other Boroughs such as Greenwich and Bromley. It was a pretty moving event too, with a lot of people there because Lewisham Hospital had saved their life, or the life of a loved one. It wasn't a managed rent a mob event, but a real groundswell of the people who felt strongly to do this. I was pretty thrilled as I walked to the start and realised streams and streams of us were all going to the march to, maybe not do much, but to do something. Over everything however is the desolate, devastating, duplicitous proposal to leave one single A&E to serve a population of 750,000 people in this tangled part of London. Jeremy Hunt, you must reject the proposal next week.
Our existing International Health Service is an embarrassment. Foot-soldiers manning the wards are caring and well intentioned individuals but they are operating on increasingly inadequate budgets and the "service" is going to continue to get worse as spineless "yes men and women" put their hands up to do the dirty work of politicians whose families have private health, like their kids have private schooling. They already pay sub-minimum wages and abuse the goodwill of their staff which means it is no longer seen as an attractive career for enough of those born and raised here, which is why it should be renamed the International Health Service. Where would we be without the selfless care and dedication of those doctors and nurses from overseas who are prepared to come and care for us? My mum had a major operation on Thursday and is recovering at St Thomas's Hospital. Her ward looks down on the Houses of Parliament. The irony is delicious. Last night she was in considerable pain and had to cry out in bed for four hours until they could find a doctor. In a hospital in central London. They had "a number of concurrent emergencies between midnight and 4am." Shame on the poltiicians and on the hospital managers who haven't got the morale fibre to call this out. The day is coming when we will fear going to hospital more than being seriously ill. That smug Tory Boy Hunt won't save Lewisham Hospital - he's got his glittering career to think of and it all starts with showing how blindly he will obey orders. Sorry, bad day.
having watched my mum die over three months, 18months back i cant get over the thought that as she was old she died of neglect----we did what we could---went to her GP ---took food in etc etc etc
My father was in and out of hospital for 17 years----varying between totaly disgraceful and breathtaking .
If you havnt got anyone fighting for you when your in hospital these days---------you are neglected and you will die.
We have seen the scenes in the 3rd World of hospitals with nothing and only the relatives of the sick helping-----thats where we are now and have been for a long time.
dont tell me its not about the 5 million new comers dont tell me its about the tories dont tell me its about the credit crunch
Its been dying for years at least a decade------------ive seen my parents die and both should have had better care than they did. My Father paid tax into his 80z and still had to pay for his care.
The Tories NHS "safe in our hands" we all know that is total bollox but a biger more detestable lie is that Labour care and its ok in their hands.
Thanks Seth. Us Plebs need a party and a leader we can vote for. Currently, we have neither. Milliband is a Cameron wet-dream just like Nick Clegg who will disappear from the spotlight forever at the next election.
I've coined a slogan, which may be used - you heard it hear first. "Don't get sick in Sidcup". Here in Bexley we're obviously concerned about Lewisham A&E, but we're also worried about what's happening/happened to Queen Mary's Sidcup. We apparently have the support of our MP, against his own party, so we'll see how far he wants to push it. We also have the support of a prominent local Tory councillor, so interesting times!
We do feel that the whole closing Lewisham A&E could be a smokescreen to deflect attention away from what is happening elsewhere.
It's complicated, but the reason why Queen Mary's can be shafted has a lot to do with the PFI fiasco - ironically because it is NOT involved, whereas the other hospitals in the healthcare trust are and the PFI has tied them in for 20 years-worth of costs.
I was devastated about queen Mary's I had 3 children there and they saved my daughters life she was seconds from death. Not to mention, the a and e there were fast and thorough when I lived 2 mins drive from lewisham a and e I still opted to travel to sidcup instead. As for maternity at lewisham, I had my 1st child there and was having terrible difficulties during labor, they sent me home twice then even though the baby was in distress they tried a third time but they let me stay only because I threatened legal action but treated me like crap the whole time I was there, my baby was in serious distress and heart rate was dropping but it took 4 members of my family and an off duty midwife to get anybody to help, then when she was born She wasn't breathing and took a lot to revive. That was the cause of her speech difficulties that still affect her 12 years later. I also know of 2 other people that hold lewisham maternity responsible for the still birth of their babies one successfully sued and the other was unsuccessful. When I was pregnant with my second child I didn't even visit relatives in borough of lewisham towards the end as I was too scared to go back there. Closing QM maternity was a tragedy, closing lewisham is long over due. As for a and e I have a few horror stories about lewisham on that too but the a and e is needed as there are not enough of them if anything they should extend it and relieve done of the pressure from the QE,
SJ my expereince of Lewisham is positive on the maternity, A&E and on ward areas. People havce different exeperiences, but taking into account your experiences I still don't believe that these are reasons to close Lewisham maternity. It is a valuable service for the wide local community and if there are thing that are wrong (and I am no way contesting yours and others experiences) what is needed is investment into people, training and faclilties to make the service what it should be and that is what is lacking while we spend money on wars and bail outs.
Finally, lets not forget why the Lewisham facilities are beingf attacked, it is not due to financial irregularity, financial mismanagment, clinical failure or poor patient care. It is because another Health Authority has failed and the administrator wants to bail it out by putting Lewishams services into that authority. Its like Giving Millwall some of our points because they are in a relegation fight.
I have to visit both Darenth, and QM in the next 10 days. I have a minor medical issue, and have already been to QM and QE for what were little more than taking blood/urine examples but because my GP practice is somewhat overwhelmed there is a three week wait to get blood samples back from QM. I was very lucky and had to wait only minutes to be seen ( which has not been my experience of past) The car park at QE was full with Meridian sports doing a nice all day £3 car park charge, and private Euro doing a very nice trade in parking charges outside the hospital. It did seem a bit overwhelmed with patients, I must have been very lucky as I had an appointment. I am lucky I have my own transport, and frankly doing the rounds although frustrating, must be very difficult if you cannot get there, old, or simply having a job in central London. I did notice that the roof of maternity at QE has been damaged, so that looks a pretty sad state of affairs, and will probably be demolished regardless of what happens. One thing for sure QE will remain open, regardless of financial or clinical excellence, because of the PFI. I feel that the politicians have been pretty two faced about this, I do not know the answers, but people deserve a decent health service, based on clinical needs. They also need hospitals that can deal with routine outpatient treatments to the benefit of the patient, not the trusts and the inconsistent delivery they have at present, for the whole of the community, especially the old and vulnerable.
SJ, in the old maternity unit it was indeed pretty crap agreed, my son was born there with an elective caesarian in 1994, but a new unit has opened now...dunno what it is like. However two visits to A&E in the last few years were good, and needed to be there, at Lewisham.
I am sure you are accurate in your experiences and feelings about them, but I still think a local A&E and maternity service is needed, and then it needs to get better. As Kap says, the decision is nothing about the standard of care, and all about the mess the politicians of all persuasions have got us into over this. ONE A&E for 750,000 population is absurd.
Seth and kap you've got me wrong I have had many grievances with lewisham hospital but whole heartedly agree that no a and e should be closed, was merely pointing out that IMO queen Mary's closing was a greater tragedy as it was a better a and e and maternity. If the maternity at lewisham has improved then good if not then there are plenty of birthing centres and more being built so I've heard that are a better option for most (although not all) expectant mothers. The closing of emergency departments is a huge issue up and down the country and needs to be properly addressed and stopped nationally.
Andy Burnham @andyburnhammp @KateSLP The people of Lewisham should never have been put through this. But they've fought for everyone worried about #NHS & must prevail.
News Shopper @NewsShopper Some confusion over when Health Secretary will announce #Lewisham Hospital decision. We think it will be about 11.30am. #savelewishamae
The only way to down grade an A&E like Lewisham is to reduce the hours (like they did at Sidcup) which finally lead to its closure. As you may well know, at the time we were told it would be a tempory move, which it was but not for the better!
Midwives only maternity unit, and the A&E 'downsized'...probably as a prelude to complete closure in the future. Absolute chite decision, and the fight should continue.
Kate @KateSLP Andy Burnham laying into Hunt now - says it's a "cavalier approach" adopted by govt "to treat deprived part of country with utter disdain"
Matty Mitford @SomersTownGreen Yes #Lewishambles, very funny but don't forget who brought in the PFI that's caused all this mess. Labour. #SaveLewishamAE
Hunt says that sorting out the financial mess in the next health trust will benefit the people of Lewisham. Yeah right! Putting the boot into the health trust in Labour Lewisham will benefit the people of Conservative Sidcup, Bexley, Bromley. I suppose if you get elected you have to look after your own tribe first, otherwise why have the power? If the plebs of Lewisham ain't gonna vote for you why bother with them huh? ....And when their back is turned raid their services too so they know their place. Was it Thatcher who said there's no such thing as society? Is it the Bullenden club who say look after number one and b*llocks to the plebs?
Comments
Saw loads of Charlton fans there, the bloke who gave me a placard to carry, loads of others, saw Kevin Nolan, I know Peter Cordwell was there, if you watch the ITV newsclip, almost the last frame a blue suited musician is coming past with his band, and a Charlton neckscarf. I also saw Millwall fans, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, West Ham, and a lot of people. My estimate is 15,000 at least, the demographic of the whole community, but also met people from other Boroughs such as Greenwich and Bromley.
It was a pretty moving event too, with a lot of people there because Lewisham Hospital had saved their life, or the life of a loved one. It wasn't a managed rent a mob event, but a real groundswell of the people who felt strongly to do this. I was pretty thrilled as I walked to the start and realised streams and streams of us were all going to the march to, maybe not do much, but to do something.
Over everything however is the desolate, devastating, duplicitous proposal to leave one single A&E to serve a population of 750,000 people in this tangled part of London.
Jeremy Hunt, you must reject the proposal next week.
Judging by the vibe I got today, the plebs are learning to fight back.
My father was in and out of hospital for 17 years----varying between totaly disgraceful and breathtaking .
If you havnt got anyone fighting for you when your in hospital these days---------you are neglected and you will die.
We have seen the scenes in the 3rd World of hospitals with nothing and only the relatives of the sick helping-----thats where we are now and have been for a long time.
dont tell me its not about the 5 million new comers
dont tell me its about the tories
dont tell me its about the credit crunch
Its been dying for years at least a decade------------ive seen my parents die and both should have had better care than they did. My Father paid tax into his 80z and still had to pay for his care.
The Tories NHS "safe in our hands" we all know that is total bollox but a biger more detestable lie is that Labour care and its ok in their hands.
On your own remember it
Finally, lets not forget why the Lewisham facilities are beingf attacked, it is not due to financial irregularity, financial mismanagment, clinical failure or poor patient care. It is because another Health Authority has failed and the administrator wants to bail it out by putting Lewishams services into that authority. Its like Giving Millwall some of our points because they are in a relegation fight.
I did notice that the roof of maternity at QE has been damaged, so that looks a pretty sad state of affairs, and will probably be demolished regardless of what happens. One thing for sure QE will remain open, regardless of financial or clinical excellence, because of the PFI. I feel that the politicians have been pretty two faced about this, I do not know the answers, but people deserve a decent health service, based on clinical needs. They also need hospitals that can deal with routine outpatient treatments to the benefit of the patient, not the trusts and the inconsistent delivery they have at present, for the whole of the community, especially the old and vulnerable.
I am sure you are accurate in your experiences and feelings about them, but I still think a local A&E and maternity service is needed, and then it needs to get better.
As Kap says, the decision is nothing about the standard of care, and all about the mess the politicians of all persuasions have got us into over this.
ONE A&E for 750,000 population is absurd.
A decision is expected later on plans to close the Accident and Emergency department at Lewisham Hospital http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21269910 …
Jeremy Hunt's statement is expected at 11:15. Watch this space. #SaveLewishamHospital
@KateSLP The people of Lewisham should never have been put through this. But they've fought for everyone worried about #NHS & must prevail.
Some confusion over when Health Secretary will announce #Lewisham Hospital decision. We think it will be about 11.30am. #savelewishamae
Andy Burnham laying into Hunt now - says it's a "cavalier approach" adopted by govt "to treat deprived part of country with utter disdain"
Yes #Lewishambles, very funny but don't forget who brought in the PFI that's caused all this mess. Labour. #SaveLewishamAE
Department of Health statement on Lewisham/South London Health Trust up now http://bit.ly/14t9ogM
Yeah right!
Putting the boot into the health trust in Labour Lewisham will benefit the people of Conservative Sidcup, Bexley, Bromley.
I suppose if you get elected you have to look after your own tribe first, otherwise why have the power?
If the plebs of Lewisham ain't gonna vote for you why bother with them huh? ....And when their back is turned raid their services too so they know their place.
Was it Thatcher who said there's no such thing as society?
Is it the Bullenden club who say look after number one and b*llocks to the plebs?