Southport MP Damien Moore is apparently launching a new petition to return the children’s A &E back to Southport.
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/mp-launches-campaign-to-bring-childrens-ae-back-to-southport/
What has happened to make Mr Moore decide to launch a petition now? He has been the town’s MP since June 2017. Has he only just realised there is no urgent care locally for children? It is now almost twenty years after these vital hospital services were first taken away.
Don’t get me wrong here, I applaud ‘anybody’ who can work to return our services. I sincerely hope that as the town’s MP he can find the right people to turn this around.
Back in 2003 a protest group, CARES (Coalition Against Removal of kids Emergency & other Services) was formed for this exact purpose.
What is written below explains a small part of our lengthy campaign and some of what has happened since that time.
Unlike the latest MP’s ‘Conservative led’ petition, CARES was created by bringing together parents and politicians from different parties with the sole aim of reinstating our lost children’s services. The thought and reasoning behind the idea was a good, honest one initiated by the Southport Party. I was proud to be co-chair of that group.
On 17th August 2003 CARES organised a protest march. An estimated four thousand protesters with supporters joined us through Southport, beginning at Southport Town Hall and ending at Meols Cop field in Kew. CARES then went to Southport Hospital to present a copy of the petitions to bosses from the NHS.
On 11th October 2003, Formby also joined CARES in a second protest march to express anger and unrest for the lost hospital services.
By 13 November 2003 CARES had received 18,532 petition signatures.
We received 14,365 names on petitions, which were presented to bosses from the NHS following the massive protest march (Sunday 17th August 2003) at Southport Hospital.
An estimated four thousand protesters took part in Southport’s historical march on 17th August 2003 to show the NHS Trust just how strong public disgust was against these highly unpopular and autocratic changes. A Cry of: “What do we want – our services back – when do we want them –now,” echoed through the lines of marchers.
These petitions were presented to number 10 Downing Street by CARES on Thursday 19th February 2004.
In 2004 on the anniversary of the big march, CARES held a protest event, entitled ‘Wind of Change,’ against health service cuts next to the town hall, in the gardens of Christ Church, Lord Street. Wind of Change ensured that in just an hour and a half over 600 families pledged their support to show the health authorities that our vital campaign was still as strong as ever.
CARES held and attended ‘many’ meetings and talks, but no leading government then or since listened to the plight of residents. Both Labour and Conservative governments have let down our town’s residents since 2003.
Later in July 2009 CARES alongside ‘many’ local taxi drivers all led a combined protest, to once again bring this urgent matter to the attention of the relevant authorities, but unfortunately the serious issues again were dismissed.
CARES in 2012 alongside Formby’s Cllr Barry Griffiths a long time supporter to return the services, attended a meeting to highlight this issue.
Since then, in 2019 Labour’s MP Bill Esterson and Liz Savage started a new campaign to bring a NHS walk in centre to Southport.
However a walk in centre, although a step in the right direction, would not treat urgent care nor replace our lost children’s A&E services.
CARES members have never stopped campaigning over the years to highlight this issue.
Anybody taking on this torch needs to be aware of the past and just ‘how much’ hard work has already been done by the residents of this town, through meetings, marches, protests, gaining petition signatures involving immense personal time and effort.
This campaign cannot be used by ‘anybody’ as a way to score political points whether past, present or future! It is far too important to play politics with children’s lives. I hope this is not the reasoning behind the new petition. If it isn’t then I wish Mr Moore success.
Cath Regan
Co-Chair CARES
https://southportcares.webstarts.com/
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