10 signatures reached
To: Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health
Jeremy Hunt: Axe the hospital closure clause
Dear Secretary of State for Health,
We call upon you to withdraw Chapter 4 and clause 118 of the Care Bill (the ‘hospital closure clause”) that will make it possible to close viable hospitals without proper consultation.
Why is this important?
Recently, Jeremy Hunt lost his appeal against closing Lewisham Accident and Emergency. The law that protected it would be removed if Clause 118 passes.
The Clause will allow the government to close or downgrade any hospital in the country, with barely any consultation of local people, if there is a Trust in financial difficulties anywhere nearby. They will be able to appoint an administrator to one Trust who will be able to take decisions to fast-track the closure of hospitals in another area - no matter how successful or popular those hospitals are - using the 'unsustainable provider' legislation that was designed only for insolvent Trusts. If it becomes law, this Clause means that *no* hospital will be safe, no matter how successful.
Check out this link
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/stop-hospital-closure-clause
for more information.
We will update you on further campaign actions you can get involved in. Please share on Twitter and Facebook.
How it will be delivered
We will deliver the petition on 27 February, prior to a final vote in the House of Commons on clause 118, which is expected in March.
