Barlow's brief

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Other hospitals are a real step down from Macclesfield’s

Vic Barlow
21/ 3/2007

THE HEALTHCARE Commission has published a list of hospitals which, in its opinion, provides "weak" or only "fair" children's services. Included in the list is Stockport Foundation Trust (Stepping Hill).

This is the very hospital where our Primary Care Trust would refer our children if we lost facilities at Macclesfield General.

There is something exceedingly odd about threatening closure by referring patients to a hospital the Healthcare Commission describes as 'weak', especially as Macclesfield General currently exceeds the standards being achieved elsewhere in Manchester.

Tameside has a perfectly dreadful record but remains safe from any closures. Where's the logic? Clearly, there's an agenda to cut services but it is not based on performance and the overwhelming response to the Hands Off Our Hospital campaign scuppered plans to target Macclesfield... but not for long.

Within a matter of weeks the Secretary for State referred the decision in favour of maintaining services in Macclesfield to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, no doubt hoping public furore had died down and they could do as they pleased.

Unless you want to see children's facilities in Macclesfield replaced by sub-standard care elsewhere I suggest you make your voice heard all over again.

You know how they operate. Back off when public opinion is at boiling point. Wait for interest to wane then make a quick 'irreversible' decision before press and public have a chance to react.

Dress it up as 'in the public interest' and 'after careful consultation' and you just might get away with it without too much political fall out.

So, come on, show them they're wrong. Let's crank up the volume and get back on the campaign trail.

If they intend to close wards the fight is on. I'd like to see Sir Nick and Gorgeous George leading the campaign with councillors Murphy and Clampett back in the fray. It wouldn't do any harm for the rest of the council to make some noise either.

Let's show them we mean business.

  • THE views expressed on this page are Vic Barlow's and not nexessarily those of the Express.

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Most recent 1 of 1 user comments

   It is alright for septics to scoff but these phishing exercises do happen. They replicate the web sites exactly and show what is bad about the internet. We should thank Vic for alerting some readers who may believe them. It is ok getting connected to a call centre but when are we going to be allowed to speak to someone local, who understands you, and you can understand them.

Internet providers are bad enough, but the big banks are all the same. It is strange how many call centre operators are called Shaun and pronounce "Cheshire” as "Sheshire”

John Davidson, Macclesfield.
21/03/2007 at 20:17
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