March in the Bush against health cuts

People will be marching in the streets against the prospect of local hospitals being shorn of their A&E departments and other services drastically cut on October 6th. The marchers will be leaving at 1200 from Sulgrave Road just south of the Goldhawk Road and proceed, through Hammersmith, to Distillery Road in Fulham where they'll gather at Frank Banfield Park from around 1400 for speeches. You can find a map with the whole details on the campaign's website here.

The march comes as a report commissioned by our Council, who themselves are hosting a public meeting this evening where NHS bosses will have to explain why they have adopted a way of consulting people that has been described as "fatally flawed" by a former health chief. 

Summing up the local campaign's opposition to the loss of casualty services in our borough Mark Honigsbaum, a spokesperson for the Save our Hospitals campaign said this in a letter in today's Guardian:

"At a time of growing demand on A&E services in London we believe that that is a false economy – one that will result in longer waiting times and worse outcomes for thousands of vulnerable Londoners". 

So - a march through the Bush. I have no idea when the last one was, if indeed there ever has been one, but it's a good sign that people in this area are not about to lie down and let a bunch of beaurocrats put their lives at risk. And it stands in stark contrast to the cynical approach adopted by Chelsea & Westminster hospital in the south and West Middlesex to our North who have both been urging people to vote for the closure of our services in order to save their own. 

In H&F, by contrast, we have political leaders from all parties standing together with both local hospitals and inviting others from across the borders of our borough to join us. It's really quite inspiring!