The impact of the cuts have started to hit many already, and for others the very real threat of the cuts are just around the corner.
One such threat is the potential closure of the Children’s Heart Surgery unit at Southampton Hospital.
The Government are planning to cut the number of children’s heart units in the country from 11 to six or seven. Southampton came out of a recent survey as one of the second best cardiac surgery unit in the country.
However, a public consultation is now taking place, in which Southampton Children’s Heart Surgery Unit is only given a 25% of being saved.
Alternative is London or Bristol
This means that anyone on the Southern Coast who currently uses, or may need to use Southampton Children’s Heart Surgery Unit in the future, will have to travel as far as London or Bristol for the same service.
Campaigners against the closure claim that the some of the evidence used to support the consultation is flawed. For example, it was agreed that patients shouldn’t have to travel more than four hours by road to get treatment. However, extra travel times for patients living on the Isle of Wight have not been taken into account.
Traumatic travel for the very young
Having had our daughter require minor surgery at Southampton and knowing how expensive, traumatic and difficult the travel for that can be, we can’t imagine what it would be like having to travel as far as London or Bristol with a child so seriously ill.
The consultation runs until June this year and the decision is due to be taken at the end of the year.
Show your support with just a signature
If you want to help, either make sure that you’re in Newport town centre this Saturday (23rd) and sign the petition.
If you can’t make it along, why not download a copy of the petition from the Daily Echo, who are putting a huge amount of effort behind the campaign, and help get as many signatures as possible.
Radio interview
Earlier this week Calder Jon at Vectis Radio interviewed Helen, the mother of Nancy, a two year old who has already had three open-heart surgery operations at Southampton.
She explains the campaign in more detail and why it is so important to have the public’s support.
