This is a message from Louise Irvine, a 38 Degrees member and hospital campaigner. Read her message below, or sign her petition here:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/hospital-closure-clause
Dear Reg,
I'm a doctor and part of the Save The Lewisham Hospital campaign. Along with thousands of 38 Degrees members, we stopped health minister Jeremy Hunt from closing services at Lewisham Hospital. Thousands of us chipped in to take him to court, and we won. [1]
Jeremy Hunt appealed the decision - but he lost again. So now, having been told twice that he acted illegally, he's trying to change the law! [2] He wants to bring in a "hospital closure clause" to give him new legal powers to shut A&Es like Lewisham. If he gets this through, none of our hospitals will be safe from his meddling or closure. [3]
The hospital closure clause will soon be voted on by MPs. We need to persuade enough of them to vote against it. A huge petition will show MPs that the public don't want them to give Jeremy Hunt new powers to shut hospitals.
I've started a petition on the 38 Degrees website. Please can you sign it today, before MPs vote?
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/hospital-closure-clause
It's a pretty cynical way to respond to our campaign, isn't it? After losing in court, Jeremy Hunt's trying to sneak a change into a law to allow him "to dismantle hospital services arbitrarily." [2] Even the very best hospitals wouldn't be safe. This sinister clause is hidden within a much bigger piece of law - presumably he's hoping that it will go through unnoticed.
A big petition can help stop this happening. When the bill is next debated, we can prove that thousands of us are coming together against these plans. Every signature helps sound the alarm. Every signature is a blow to Jeremy Hunt's reputation, an extra voice against him getting new powers to shut hospitals.
Jeremy Hunt saw the public outcry the last time the government changed the law to damage the NHS. He saw his predecessor, Andrew Lansley, lose his job. The last thing Jeremy Hunt will want to see is 38 Degrees members coming together again to stand up for NHS.
So let's get signing this petition now!
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/hospital-closure-clause
Thank you for your support.
Louise Irvine,
38 Degrees member and chair of the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign
