Pushing home their point about hospital cuts (From Watford Observer)

Pushing home their point about hospital cuts

9:51am Wednesday 11th October 2006

• Print
• Email
• Share

Hundreds of people have voiced their anger at cuts to health services by marching through south west Hertfordshire.

Demonstrators on Sunday were protesting against cuts to services in Dacorum - and also delivered a warning to Watford residents that plans to close Hemel Hempstead Hospital could leave services at Watford General dangerously overstretched.

More than 300 people joined Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, and David Gauke, MP for South West Hertfordshire, as they pushed a hospital bed carrying a coffin nine miles from Hemel Hempstead Hospital to Watford General.

The march was a protest against NHS plans which will see acute services, such as accident and emergency and complex treatments, transferred from Hemel to Watford and St Albans.

Opponents of the plan say Watford General is already overstretched and will not cope with the additional patients.

They also have concerns that Hemel residents will not be able to access Watford General easily, due to its proximity to Vicarage Road, especially on match days.

The march began at Hemel hospital at 10am on Sunday and made its way through Kings Langley, before arriving in Watford at 2.30pm, where a rally was held in the High Street, before continuing on to Watford General.

• Print
• Email
• Share