The future for Berkshire NHS services has never been at greater risk.
In March 2014Adam Afriye MP and Theresa May MP both voted with the Government to allow the Health Secretary to close hospitals even when they are performing well (section 119 of the Care Bill). A closure order can now be made in order to move funds from good hospitals to others that are struggling financially.
Between the 3rd and the 11th of April there was a very brief public consultation by the Competition and Markets Authority on the merger of Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust with Heatherwood and Wexham Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Only a week was given for us to say how the merger could affect the quality of care for NHS patients locally.
The door is now open for the ever increasing speed of privatisation of the NHS and the prioritisation of profit over quality of service. The NHS is the bedrock of our caring society and it is distressing to know that the futures of Heatherwood, Wexham Park and Saint Marks Hospitals could be decided with such little reference to the local community.
Our chances of living healthy lives are directly related to how well off we are and how far we live from health services. Less well-off people cannot afford long, expensive journeys or to take time off work to visit distant health services. There is no greater inequality than the difference between good health and poor health and shorter life spans. I urge people to speak up and defend Heatherwood hospital and other local NHS services at every opportunity. Let’s not lose our precious NHS to ‘death by a thousand cuts’.
Click through to Save Heatherwood Hospital Campaign.
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