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I am one of Kitty's constituents and I
would like to raise the following issue  |
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1 November 2005
For immediate use Kitty launches
'Save our Hospital' Campaign
Kitty Ussher MP has launched a campaign and petition to save Burnley Hospital and its Accident and Emergency Unit and to oppose any option from the East Lancs NHS Trust that would be detrimental to the health of Burnley and Padiham people. She is calling on all Burnley and Padiham residents to support her campaign and make their voices heard.
Kitty has already collected hundreds of signatures and she is joining forces with other local residents who started their own petitions.
Kitty said:
"Now is the time for the people of Burnley, Padiham and surrounding areas to make the strongest possible noise and show that there is overwhelming public support for our hospital. We need to work together and shout from the rooftops in the next couple of weeks.
People can sign the petition by calling at my office in Victoria Street or they can drop their name and address in an email to saveburnleyhospital@hotmail.com
In addition, there are copies of the petition in increasing locations across the town, for example in most hairdressers in Burnley town centre - who I'd like to thank for agreeing to collect signatures.
I'd also like to thank people such as Mrs Chapman and Mrs Allott, who have already done an amazing job and collected well over a 1,000 signatures themselves. If anyone else wishes to help collect signatures or put a petition in their shop or workplace then please call my office who will supply copies.
Since the recent announcement of the Clinical Services review I have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure both our hospital and its accident and emergency unit remain open. I have had some verbal assurances but nothing in writing - and of course the Trust tell us that at the moment no decisions have yet been made.
We now need to up the stakes and keep the pressure on by demonstrating the huge support I know exists in Burnley for our hospital. I will be meeting the new Chief Executive of the Trust , Jo Cubbon at Westminster in two weeks time where I will give her all petitions collected so far. I want to make sure her briefcase is extremely heavy for her journey back north.
I appreciate the serious financial difficulties, Jo Cubbon has inherited and I have made it clear to her that I am willing to work with the Trust to address this problem. However, I will not accept any closure of our hospital or its accident and emergency unit nor for that matter any option that would be detrimental to the health of Burnley and Padiham people. The Trust should be under no illusion that they will have to prove conclusively to all residents that any proposed changes will not endanger life or lead to worsening health outcomes."
Kitty will be writing to everyone who has signed her petition immediately after her meeting with Jo Cubbon and will continue to keep constituents informed as the campaign progresses.
Ends
Editors Notes
1. Kitty has launched her campaign in response to the Clinical Services Review recently announced by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. The Trust has currently put forward four options for changes in health service provision in East Lancashire and has asked the public for their views which need to be received by Friday 2 December.
2. The four current options are;
Option one
This option would involve the least possible change. It would mean attempting to achieve efficient and effective services within the current design of services and the resources available.
Option two
Under this option a new, all purpose building would be constructed on one site central to Blackburn and Burnley. It would cater for all the health needs of the population of East Lancashire.
Option three
Option three would mean having two main sites. One site would be largely devoted to unscheduled (emergency) care and would have full Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU) facilities. It would also carry out some planned care for patients requiring major treatment. The other site would be largely dedicated to planned care and would have some HDU facilities for complications following surgery. Both sites would take appropriate outpatients and daycase patients.
Option four
Option four would also involve two sites. As with Option three, one site would be largely dedicated to unscheduled care and would have full ICU and HDU facilities. It would also carry out some planned care for patients requiring major treatment. The other site would be largely dedicated to planned care. However, it would not have any HDU facilities. As in Option three, this option would involve both sites taking appropriate outpatients and daycase patients.
3. Kitty's meeting with Jo Cubbon, Chief Executive of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust will take place on Wednesday 16 November.
4. Jo Cubbon will also attend a Special meeting of Burnley Borough Council on Thursday 10 November.
5. Kitty is in the process of organising meetings with a range of interested parties, including staff and trade unions at the hospital and further news about these meetings and other initiatives will follow.
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Kitty is a regular contributor to parliamentary debates, asking questions of ministers on behalf of her constituents.
For more details of Kitty's parlimentary activities |
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In addition to her weekly column in Friday's Burnley Express, Kitty also writes for the Guardian on-line politics page as well as Tribune newspaper  |
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