|
|
7/11/00
Forth Valley Health Proposals: Overwhelming public opposition
Last week The Falkirk Herald noted the overwhelming public opposition to the Forth Valley Acute Hospitals Trust's plans to close the acute surgical services at Falkirk Royal Infirmary, as well as the closure of the Women's and Children's services at Stirling.
Although this is correct - there is massive public opposition - this was under-reported in the article. The views of over 6,000 people, 2.5% of the population of Forth Valley, who signed the Scottish Socialist Party petition opposing these changes, were ignored.
The official consultation exercise, produced with glossy leaflets urging people to support the changes, obtained only 700 responses, while the Scottish Socialist Party's campaigning - on Falkirk High Street every Saturday, in Stirling Town Centre, in Alloa, Denny and onnybridge on a regular basis, demonstrated exactly how much opposition there is.
Unlike those running this consultation exercise, the Scottish Socialist Party has been on the streets explaining exactly what the changes would mean for the people of Forth Valley -
-
· for those who work in dangerous occupations in Grangemouth's petrochemical industry
(an extra 13 minutes journey time to receive life saving treatment)
- · for people from Falkirk District awaiting inpatient surgery
(a long and expensive trip to Stirling to have surgery in unfamiliar surroundings, divorced from their previous out-patient care at Falkirk)
- · for women from the outlying areas of Stirling District, who are expecting
(complicated and expensive trips to Falkirk for ante-natal care; further to travel for women who opt for a home-birth, but require increased medical assistance during labour)
- · for families in the Stirling area
(children being taken to a strange town for medical treatment, and receiving less visits while resident because of travel difficulties and expense).
These changes would hit the most vulnerable in Forth Valley hardest. It is the elderly, the poor and the disabled who are least likely to have access to a car, yet these are exactly the people most in need of high quality health care.
The Scottish Socialist Party calls for the Forth Valley Health Trust to be abolished and replaced by a democratic consortium of medical professionals, health care workers and members of the local community to plan a comprehensive health care system for Forth Valley which meets the needs of residents, rather than the desires of the managers.
Falkirk Branch, Scottish Socialist Party
|
