Our campaign started when the NHS Trust decided
to relocate our vital services for children and pregnant women to Ormskirk.
This
unbelievable decision is we believe totally unacceptable, highly
dangerous to the patients involved and distressing to families in general. Southport is a large town built on the holiday
industry which urgently needs these essential hospital services for visitors as
well as the residents herein.
We received 14,365 names on
petitions, which were presented to bosses from the NHS following a massive protest
march (Sunday 17th August 03) at Southport Hospital. By 13 November 2003 CARES had received 18,532 petitions.
An estimated four thousand protesters took part in this historical march to show the Trust just how strong public
disgust was against these highly unpopular and autocratic changes.
These petitions
were presented to number 10 Downing Street by CARES on Thursday 19th February
2004.
Since 2003 CARES have arranged and attended many meeting and protests.
CARES Co-chairs Cath Regan and Margaret Brown have attended regular Stakeholder meetings with the NHS, PCT and others in an attempt to resolve this odious situation.
The fight continues to bring back services to Southport.