Protestors fight plans to demolish hospital
CAMPAIGNERS held protests at Halton and Whiston hospitals to support the National Save The NHS day of action on Saturday.
A demonstration spokesman said they were joined by Runcorn and Widnes campaigners who were angry at the recently-unveiled demolition and redevelopment plans for Halton Hospital that would see the wider site turned into a ‘health campus’ including the expansion of the Cheshire And Merseyside Treatment Centre to accommodate existing services.
Mike Amesbury, Labour MP for Weaver Vale where Halton Hospital is situated, also attended and spoke to the crowd, warning that the introduction of ‘accountable care organisations’ (ACO) in the NHS was a ‘slippery slope’ to a privatised American insurance system.
He said the NHS was the ‘envy of the world’ and, quoting its founder Aneurin Bevan, an ‘island of socialism’.
Mr Amesbury also accused the Conservatives of wanting to ‘dismantle it bit by bit’.
A clip of Mr Amesbury’s speech has been posted online by the Halton and Weaver Vale branch of the Labour grassroots campaign group, Momentum.
In the video, he said: “The ACOs, accountable care organisations – this model which comes over from America, with their private insurance that excludes the poor, is a slippery slope towards that.
“It’s scandalous and we’ve got to stop it here and in the 44 areas across the country that are trying to implement it.”
Jayne Kinsella, of Widnes, said “I work in social care and I’m disgusted by the plans for Halton Hospital and the destruction of our NHS.
“My dad has regular appointments here and it’s a fantastic resource for Halton.
“We’re here today to say no to privatisation and to support our fantastic NHS staff who work so hard for all of us.
“We’re not scaremongering or being over dramatic, this is happening and we need to stop it now.”
Angela Walsh, protest organiser, told the crowd outside Whiston Hospital: “We are so proud and grateful to you all for coming out and supporting today’s actions, both here and in Run- corn.
“As we said at Warrington, this is just the beginning, and we have lots more in the pipeline.
“What we need now is every Halton resident, please write to the councillors that sit on our health and wellbeing board and policy performance board and ask them to stop the rollout of the ACO (accountable care organisation) One Halton plans to allow for proper scrutiny and consultation, before it’s too late.”
Further protests are planned.