April Takes Protest Letters to London

6.59.31pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 12th Sep 2007

April with Protest Letters

1,143 letters to Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, were handed over to an official at the Department of Health today (Wednesday) by April Pond, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman for Broadland. The letters have been sent to April by Norfolk residents over the last few weeks in protest at the Norfolk Primary Care Trust's decision to close St Michael's hospital in Aylsham. They ask for Mr Johnson to intervene and overturn the decision.

April said "We have had a massive response, with a huge number of Norfolk people taking the trouble to send letters, many detailing personal experiences of the wonderful care relatives have received at St Michael's.

"The Dept of Health indicated it was very unusual to receive en mass this sort of quantity of letters, and really this confirms the enormous strength of feeling in Norfolk. The fight for St Michael's is not over yet."

The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (made up of County and District Councillors from across Norfolk) will be meeting to ratify the decision to reduce the number of beds on 27th September. If they reject the PCT's decision the matter will be referred to the Secretary of State. April will be working with colleagues to lobby Committee members.