The National Health Service was officially launched at Park Hospital in Davyhulme on 5 July 1948 by Health Secretary Nye Bevan. As he symbolically received the keys to the hospital, Bevan was conscious of the place the hospital would occupy in Britain’s history.
Now, 64 years later, NHS bosses have been planning in secret to close it. Earlier this year the hospital was taken over from local managers by the Central Manchester Foundation Trust because they said the hospital’s finances are “unviable”.
By June the new Trust bosses and NHS officials had come up with sweeping plans that would leave virtually nothing in the local area. A report to Greater Manchester NHS discussed, in secret, by Trafford Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee proposes the closure of the A&E department at the hospital (now called Trafford General) and of the Intensive Care Unit by April next year, the end of all children’s services at the hospital, and stopping all acute surgery.
The Report says:
“Critical Care Level 3 services (ICU) currently available at TGH should be reprovided elsewhere.”
“The current model of Accident and Emergency (A&E) provision at TGH is not sustainable.”
“A Paediatric Observation and Assessment unit (POAU) (children’s services) is not sustainable in the absence of a full, Type 1 A&E department.”
“Emergency surgical services currently available at TGH should be reprovided elsewhere.”
Save Trafford General campaign Chair Matthew Finnegan said: “This report passes a death sentence on the birthplace of the NHS.”
The Save Trafford General campaign has organised a march and rally on 7 July – 11.00am from Golden Hill Park in the centre of Urmston — and is urging health campaigners to join local people in their protest.
• savetraffordgeneral.com
