Residents urged to join protest against hospital cuts

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RESIDENTS are being urged to turnout and join a protest march through the centre of Redditch against cuts to services at the Alexandra Hospital.

The Save The Alex campaign is organising the mass rally on Saturday, August 4. Those who want to take part are being urged to gather at the Town Hall car park for 11.15am before the group will march up to the bandstand area at 12noon.

After an address from Neal Stote, head of the Save the Alex campaign, other speakers have also been invited to have their say and those gathered will be able to take up the mic to give their views.

Mr Stote said: "We need as many people as possible to turnout in a visible show of opposition to what the Trust is proposing. We want to hear from as many people as possible, whether patients, staff or GPs, who are passionate about saving services at the Alexandra Hospital."

Almost 35,000 people have signed the petition calling for the Trust to drop proposals which could see A&E and maternity services centralised into Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The Trust has published four models of care which hospital services could be based on in the future. After gaining initial feedback from the public from a series of meetings over the last few weeks, the Trust will now publish some initial options sometime in August which the public will have their chance to give their views on before formal consultation begins in November.

To sign the petition click on the link on this page or it can be found in numerous places around the town. Petitions have also now gone into Wythall in the shops in Drakes Cross Parade, May Lane, Woodrush Community Centre and the White Swan pub.

Anyone who would like a paper copy of the petition should call Harriet Ernstsons on 01527 588656.

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