| Yesterday Lewisham campaigners led the protest at Whitehall against the widely opposed clause 118 of the Care Bill. It was a good gathering with Charing Cross, Ealing, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Bath Bristol, Birmingham and Mid Staffs also represented. This late clause has been sneaked into NHS legislation by Mr Hunt that will give him the power to unilaterally order the closing down of of hospitals – even outstanding ones. Without any local warning or discussion, the Health Secretary could simply axe East London hospital services, or hospital services anywhere in England, if his last-minute power grab gets the nod from MPs. Mr Hunt is furious after a humiliating double defeat by judges who ruled that his now-notorious attempts to close down Lewisham Hospital’s Accident & Emergency unit are unlawful. So now he is changing the law with a tacked-on Clause 118 to suit himself and so no-one can get in his way again. More than 140, 000 signatures were handed in to Whitehall and the number of people who have signed the 38 Degrees online petition set up by Louise Irvine, Chair of the Lewisham Campaign, continues to rise! |