No More Care Cuts!

3rd November 2007

Today local residents and Conservatives held a protest in Kingston town centre against cuts to Kingston’s mental health services. The protest was organised by Cllr. Mary Clarke and Cllr Ian George, supported by Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Helen Whately. They were joined by regular users and staff from Springboard and relatives of patients in Fuchsias Ward.

 

Under a fuchsia-pink banner calling for ‘No More Care Cuts’ the group handed out leaflets about the threatened services and invited passers-by to sign the petition for an end to the cuts. The response from locals was overwhelming, with many stopping to find out more and expressing outrage as well as concern.

 

The petition was signed by over 600 people in just 4 hours. The campaign will continue throughout the winter with opportunities to sign the petition in New Malden and Surbiton planned. It can also be found on the website.

 

Cllr Mary Clark has been campaigning vigorously  to help those who are at risk of losing their mental health care services. Mary said; “I am truly appalled at the utter disregard for the welfare of Kingston’s mental health patients. The PCT should stop seeing their patients as numbers and pound signs and start celebrating these unique and necessary services.”

 

Helen visited Springboard in August and has pledged to do everything possible to make sure it survives. At Saturday’s protest, Helen said; ” In the last year mental health services have been cut around the country. Now the cuts have arrived here in Kingston. These services are precious and transform the lives of the users and their families. We must rally round and stop the cuts before it’s too late.”

Stop Brown’s NHS cuts to Kingston health services

 

Gordon Brown’s mismanagement of the NHS has led to deficits approaching £1,277,000,000, 18,000 job losses in NHS hospitals and local service cutbacks, including 95 job losses at Kingston hospital, amongst the bed cuts and savings of £7.5m.

Despite Labour’s much-vaunted claim that its primary care White Paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, published on 30 January, would spell a reprieve for community hospitals, 81 are still threatened by of cutbacks or closure, according to the Community Hospitals Association. These include both Surbiton and Tolworth hospitals.

Kingston Conservatives have now launched a major campaign to Stop Brown’s NHS Cuts. We want NHS money to go where it is needed. ‘Local people should be put in charge of local NHS services and short-sighted closures replaced with long term measures that improve care for patients’ said Kevin Davis local Conservative Campaigner.

To add your support to the campaign to Stop Brown’s NHS Cuts please write to:
KSCA 11 Kingsmill Business Park Chapel Mill Road Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT1 3GZ

or sign our e-petition at
www.conservatives.com/nhyes