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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Stafford Hospital march for children's services to stay | Stafford Hospital march for children's services to stay |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of campaigners have marched in opposition to plans to move maternity and paediatric care from Stafford Hospital. | Thousands of campaigners have marched in opposition to plans to move maternity and paediatric care from Stafford Hospital. |
| The rally, organised by the Support Stafford Hospital (SSH) pressure group, comes just days before a public consultation ends. | The rally, organised by the Support Stafford Hospital (SSH) pressure group, comes just days before a public consultation ends. |
| Trust Special Administrators want to break up the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and move some units. | Trust Special Administrators want to break up the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and move some units. |
| Children's and maternity services could be moved to neighbouring hospitals. | Children's and maternity services could be moved to neighbouring hospitals. |
| SSH have opposed the plans, saying they equate to a "downgrade" of care for patients. | SSH have opposed the plans, saying they equate to a "downgrade" of care for patients. |
| Cheryl Porter, from the pressure group, said: "We have to keep going and keep fighting for this and we have to show people how important it is because they [the administrators] are obviously ignoring what we've told them before. | Cheryl Porter, from the pressure group, said: "We have to keep going and keep fighting for this and we have to show people how important it is because they [the administrators] are obviously ignoring what we've told them before. |
| "This is just to say we're staying around, we're not going away and we're not lying down and being given what you think we should have." | "This is just to say we're staying around, we're not going away and we're not lying down and being given what you think we should have." |
| Protestors gathered in Stafford's market square before marching to the nearby hospital in a "public show of strength". | Protestors gathered in Stafford's market square before marching to the nearby hospital in a "public show of strength". |
| In April, a demonstration against downgrading services at Stafford drew 50,000 protestors, but this event was on a much smaller scale. | |
| Organisers claimed between 15,000 and 20,000 participants took part, but other observers disputed the claim saying it was nearer to 5,000. | |
| Afterwards, the chief executive of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, Maggie Oldham, paid tribute to those involved. | Afterwards, the chief executive of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, Maggie Oldham, paid tribute to those involved. |
| "I thank the organisers who have invested a great deal of time, energy and resources into making today's march a happy and safe occasion," she said. | "I thank the organisers who have invested a great deal of time, energy and resources into making today's march a happy and safe occasion," she said. |
| "Also I would like to say a big thank you to all of the children and to everyone else who has taken part. | "Also I would like to say a big thank you to all of the children and to everyone else who has taken part. |
| "It means a great deal to staff to witness the strength of local feeling and the widespread support for the hospital." | "It means a great deal to staff to witness the strength of local feeling and the widespread support for the hospital." |