Saving Helme Chase Maternity Unit Campaign
Much of my time both since the start of the New Year has been spent on
the campaign to save Kendal's Helme Chase Maternity Unit.
As Heversham and Leasgill residents may know, the health authority
announced at the end of last year that a public consultation into
the future of Helme Chase would include options for outright closure,
or a reduction in the services offered at the unit.
In late January I joined the huge march through Kendal in support of
the unit. The march was superbly organised by the Helme Chase midwives
themselves. This was perhaps the biggest demonstration in Kendal's history.
People from all over south Cumbria, including Heversham and Leasgill,
were there - as were people from much further afield too.
It was an extraordinary feeling for all of us who took part to see
so many others who felt equally strongly. If democracy means anything,
those responsible for Helme Chase's future must now listen - and not only
abandon any thought of closing the unit this year, but scrap any changes
which might question its survival in years to come.
Every person in Westmorland and Lonsdale has got a stake in protecting
vital rural services like the Helme Chase Maternity Unit. Heversham and
Leasgill residents will know all too well about the possible threat to
the future of Milnthorpe's police station. Part of the problem lies in
the way Governments of all political persuasions have allocated funding
for public services in rural areas. At present money is distributed by the
Government for hospitals, policing, and other public services largely
according to the number of people living in a particular area with little
account taken of the distances involved in providing some of these services.
While people in cities are usually within walking distance of a hospital,
post office, and police station, the failure of Government grants to take
proper account of the travelling times and costs involved in providing
services in much more sparsely populated areas means many of our services
get a less than fair deal. Courts, police stations, post offices,
GP surgeries are all closing or under threat and people face longer
and longer journeys to the nearest one, at the very time when motorists
have to pay higher and higher fuel taxes.
We need to change these attitudes if we are to get fairer funding.
After all, we will never truly renew Britain if rural and Northern
Britain is left behind.
TIM COLLINS MP
www: Tim Collins Website
email:
listening@timcollins.co.uk
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