SAVE OUR HOSPITALS: People have won the argument

VICTORY. Huge thanks is due to everyone who has contributed to this historic moment.

The people have won the argument.

The Primary Care Trust who conducted the review without flinching, with good grace under sometimes intense political fire and buffeted by conflicting demands, listened to the evidence, adapting its plans accordingly, and finally came to the conclusion whose logic had become inescapable.

The WASH Consultants Group worked tirelessly to research and present the evidence upon which this decision is ultimately based.

Their achievement is all the more remarkable in that they are not professional politicians or administrators but incredibly busy doctors responsible for life and death decisions.

That they found the energy, commitment and organisation to research and lobby at the same time as being senior consultants in a major hospital is hugely impressive.

We owe them.

The local MP's, Peter Bottomley and Tim Loughton, were boundlessly energetic in mobilising support through their KWASH campaign.

Outside this politically charged and emotional atmosphere a pivotal contribution was made pro bono by Wayne Green of Global Affairs Ltd whose strategies and advice were taken on by the consultants'

campaign.

Wayne came to know the consultants in Worthing Hospital at the time he was struck by life threatening diabetes.

Wayne Green is a professional political consultant and a specialist in the issues of poverty and deprivation.

He offered to assist them, without charge, in their campaign, being only too aware of the importance of maintaining and improving the services based round Worthing Hospital.

It was thanks to his good advice and encouragement that the clinicians created a positive neutral space away from partisan politics that allowed a new, creative dialogue to take place.

The series of meetings between the local Labour team, our PPC Emily Benn, her agent Ricky Daniel and Nita Clarke, former Downing Street aide to Tony Blair, and the Consultants Group culminated in the presentation of their 'E' option, a road map for health care reorganisation in Sussex which was taken on board by the PCT.

It was evident from our meeting and our conversations with the PCT that they welcomed the consultants group input.

It was immensely gratifying to see this new open and positive approach.

As the local Labour Party, we ensured that government was made very aware of the new proposal and of the sensitivity and importance of the issues, but it was reassuring that the Minister remained absolutely independent of the process.

Indeed, he publicly stated that he saw no circumstance in which he would not accept the recommendations of the clinical professionals.

With the consultants group knowing that their voice was being heard at every level, with the PCT determined to reach the best solution, the evidence-based case that the consultants presented was unanswerable.

Moral: the NHS may have many problems, but the people who work in it and for it are often remarkable human beings. We owe them.

Ricky Daniel

Election Agent for Emily Benn PPC

Brunswick Road

Shoreham-by-Sea

Click here for more on the Save Our Hospitals campaign.

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