Official Save Lewisham A&E single out now!

Lewisham rapper Question has recorded a tune with the Lewisham NHS Choir and record producer Charles Bailey as an inspirational track "to help fight the cause, raise awareness and support the movement".

Save Lewisham A&E is the official Save Lewisham A&E campaign single released yesterday and available on iTunes. Check the YouTube page for full credits of everyone involved.

Download the track. There are three versions to choose from – it's only 79p per track, or £2.37 for all three. Play it LOUD...!

Also see East London Lines story "Mayor threatens legal fight over Lewisham A&E". This story indicates that Hunt's announcement will be Thursday morning, not Friday. See previous post.

UPDATE: Thursday 31st January (midday)
Mr Hunt has recommended Kershaw's proposals. (See The Guardian's live blog). He inaccurately states journey times will only increase by a minute, and that no other proposals have been forthcoming. A&E will be downgraded and high risk maternity cases will have to travel further. Shadow health minister Burnham asked if Hunt is confident these measures are legal – will he publish his legal advice? "There has been a 'scandalous waste of money' on a solution that will not be acceptable to the people of Lewisham".

Read the latest statement from Save Lewisham Hospital in which it describes the news as a 'deadly decision'. "The recommendation to close Lewisham A&E is part of an ideological assault on the NHS. The administrator’s plans to make cuts and close local competitors is designed to make South London’s services more attractive to private healthcare. Although some NHS Trusts have expressed an interest in running South London’s services, so have many private companies.  The tendering process will be overseen by Jeremy Hunt, not the administrator.  It is likely to be focussed on cost and servicing the debt, rather than quality. So although headlines are focussed on local trusts, private health companies are at an advantage when they compete on cost, because they don’t bear the costs of A&E’s, intensive care, or training medical professionals."

There will be a rally outside Lewisham Hospital tonight at 6pm.

Crossfields Tenants & Residents Association AGM

Save Lewisham Hospital activities this week

 
In the week that ends with Jeremy Hunt's decision on the future of Lewisham Hospital, the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign will be handing in petitions – including the 100ft one created at the demonstration on Saturday – at the Department of Health on Wednesday 30th January, 10am-12noon.

On Friday 1st February at 6pm there will be a rally outside the hospital to coincide with Hunt's announcement. Everyone who has time is welcome to join in both events.

Update from Save Lewisham Hospital, 30th January: 

It is believed Jeremy Hunt may make his announcement regarding Lewisham Hospital closures on Thursday 31st January.

PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS via the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign's Facebook or Twitter pages. DO NOT ASSUME it is tomorrow unless you have heard so through these channels.

IF it's Thursday 31st January:
Meet outside Lewisham Hospital at 6PM. Join the Save Lewisham Hospital campaigners, hospital workers and the community to celebrate OR to hear about next steps for the campaign.

THIS WILL NOT BE A DEMONSTRATION. We need to respect the Hospital which still has it's job to do! :-)

IF NOT, we will keep you posted.

Thank you,
Save Lewisham Hospital campaign
www.savelewishamhospital.com

Photo: Simon Way (see www.facebook.com/savelewishamhospitalnhs)
"Today petitions from the incredible public (over 40,000), the 100ft petition with thousands of names from the demo last Saturday and a petition by nearly 400 GPs was handed to Jeremy Hunt, in a last ditch attempt to persuade Hunt to NOT CLOSE crucial Lewisham Hospital departments."

Housing Matters update

Taken from the Notice of Decisions Made by Mayor & Cabinet on 16 January 2013 found on the Agenda page of the Overview and Scrutiny Business Panel, Tuesday 29th January 2013.

These decisions will become effective on 30 January 2013 unless they are called in by the Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel on 29 January 2013.

Housing Matters Update
Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Susan Wise, and from the Chair of the Housing Select Committee, Councillor Carl Handley, the Mayor agreed that:

(i) the findings of the discussion with residents about the possible options for addressing Lewisham’s housing challenges be noted;

(ii) the potential options for continuing the conversation with residents and the associated strengths and weaknesses of each be noted;

(iii) as there was limited support expressed among residents for the option of transfer to an existing housing association, and because the resident-led option offers greater potential to respond to residents concerns about rents and security of tenure for new as well as existing residents, transfer to an existing housing association be no longer pursued as part of this process;

(iv) as residents prefer retention with the ALMO to retention with a return to Council Management, and because a return to Council management at this stage would put at risk the delivery of the current Decent Homes programme, the option of a return to Council management of the stock be no longer pursued as part of this process;

(v) the two possible options remaining options be noted namely:

1. that the Council ceases all further options appraisal activities, retains the ALMO as is, and works within the budgetary limits the Council faces as a landlord, or

2. that the Council works alongside residents, Lewisham Homes and other bodies to better understand how, by retaining but evolving Lewisham Homes - with a view to a possible transfer of ownership to Lewisham Homes as a resident-led organisation – it might attract further investment, increase resident control, deliver residents’ aspirations and address their concerns; and

(vi) on the basis of the appraisal of the options set out and having considered the further information including the required further financial and technical assessments set out, option 2 should be pursued.

See our previous post.

Lewisham Massive

Aerial shot provided to ITV and BBC © Lewisham NHS Trust. 

All other pix by Crosswhatfields unless otherwise credited.

"If Jeremy Hunt can close a good local hospital here, he can do it anywhere in the country – nowhere is safe”

Dr Louise Irvine, Save Lewisham Hospital

Does anyone know where A&E is?

Heidi Alexander (MP Lewisham East) spoke at the rally soon after Nick Ferrari from LBC (a Lewisham resident whose son was in the hospital the night before). We missed earlier speakers. Meanwhile people were still arriving at the park (and finding it a bit muddy).

A 100ft long petition (which ended up as 200ft since both sides were used) to be delivered to Jeremy Hunt this week.

Local clown Dr Burnheart Gloss and his volunteers entertained the marchers with Splat The Rat, The Human Fruit Machine and a Coconut Shy refigured to target Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The coconut shy was extremely popular, with folk queuing up to "knock his rotten block off". Hunt has become a target for protesters since he refused to meet with Lewisham GPs – and has previously insisted no A&Es should be closed purely to save cash, so any decision to cut services in Lewisham would be an embarrassing U-turn. He will also face criticism if he decides to save Lewisham’s A&E because the consultation process which led to the recommendations ran 25 per cent over budget and cost taxpayers £5.1 million.

 

See more reports of the demonstration from Transpontine and Channel 4.
Also see East London Lines and more pics and news of media coverage on Save Lewisham Hospital's website. ITV and Radio 4 also had good coverage, but BBC TV disappointed. Some great pictures from the Daily Express (?!) here. Also see Andy Worthington's pictures and words here plus pics and video from Alternative SE4.
Good stories leading up to the march in The Guardian here and here.

"This is very much a national issue, there are 60 hospital trusts across the country under threat of bankruptcy, 
many of them very good hospitals."
Dr Louise Irvine, Chair of Save Lewisham Hospital campaign

Thanks to Mark Moynihan for the following scenes we missed...

Finally, BIG thanks to all who helped to organise the march. You are amazing!