Following an investigation by Independents to save Queen Mary's Hospital it was discovered that the Maternity Unit at the PRUH, Farnborough was closed for the whole of Wednesday (day and night) and the following Thursday [12th and 13th March]. This was due to what the hospital called "high activity".
Expectant mothers due to give birth at the PRUH were told to go, or diverted, to Lewisham, Darent Valley or Queen Mary's Hospital.
Commenting on this discovery John Hemming-Clark - who is standing in the London Assembly elections in May for the Bexley & Bromley Constituency - said,
"This is simply unbelievable and unacceptable. The "A Picture of Health" consultation report confirms Maternity National Service Framework (2004) and the DoE's Maternity Matters that maternity services should be "easier to access" and "delivered closer to people's homes". However, before the consultation has even finished, patients are being kept out of one of the Maternity Units that, it is planned, will remain after the consultation. The PRUH is supposed to be taking on some of the 3,000 expectant mothers per year that present to Queen Mary's. Instead, at present, it's the other way round with Queen Mary's bailing out the PRUH.
If the consultation report is approved, where are the future patients of the PRUH going to have their babies? In the kitchens?"
12 HOUR VIGIL on 20th September 2008. Over 400 signatures collected.
photo copyright News Shopper.
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