Workers Revolutionary Party - BATTLE TO SAVE WARD AT LUDLOW HOSPITAL

The News Line: News Monday, 15 May 2006 BATTLE TO SAVE WARD AT LUDLOW HOSPITAL

Over 1,000 nurses lobbied the House of Commons last Thursday demanding an end to all the cuts in the NHS

Campaigners angry over plans to axe services at a community hospital in Shropshire will be confronting health officials at a public meeting tomorrow.

Residents are determined to save a mental health ward from closure at Ludlow Hospital. The trust says that the closure is part of its plan to ‘save’ £3m.

The NHS in the county collectively has a £55m deficit.
A proposal to shut Whitchurch and Bridgnorth community hospitals was dropped after mass protests earlier this year.
Tomorrow evening’s meeting will be held at the Harley Centre, Ludlow.
Shrewsbury & Telford Hospitals NHS Trust is still looking at re-organising services at the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospitals, with changes affecting several services including emergency, paediatric and maternity.
Meanwhile, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which is axing 400 jobs, has sparked anger by paying financial consultants £700,000 to help reduce costs and waiting times.
The trust is £40.9m in deficit and is currently losing £2m a month, according to the government.
Health campaigners have said the huge fees being paid to consultants from City accountants KPMG to recommend the sacking of front-line nurses are a scandal.
Campaigners pointed out that £700,000 would pay for 40 newly-qualified nurses.
Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust chief executive Gary Walker claimed the ‘turnaround team’ had helped to reduce patient waiting times to their lowest-ever level.
Walker added that additional future savings of £20.9m had been identified.
He confirmed: ‘The cost of external professional expertise from accountancy firm KPMG, up to and including 31 March, is £697,896.’