ENFIELD residents yesterday made it clear that they are more determined than ever to keep Chase Farm Hospital and all its departments open.
They were speaking to News Line on the latest monthly mass picket organised by the North-East London Council of Action.
Katy Lowe said: ‘My daughter Zoe has just had her tonsils out at Chase Farm. It’s disgusting what they are planning. We need our A&E, Maternity and Children’s units.
‘People who live locally shouldn’t have to travel further to another hospital when we have a perfectly good hospital here. I’ll back an occupation to keep this hospital open, and taking action to reinstate the Bush Hill Park practice. It’s disgusting closing down a surgery like that.’
John Andreou added: ‘I hate the idea of closing the A&E, Maternity and Children’s units at this hospital.
‘We’ve got an ever-increasing population and we need to improve and keep this hospital, not close things down. The government should provide a service to the people, not take it away. We should fight this. I’ll back an occupation if necessary but the unions should support it – the more support you have, the better.
‘And I don’t agree with the idea of volunteers that Cameron’s talking about.
‘Hospitals are not a charity. The community pays for them. And volunteers shouldn’t be taking people’s jobs. I’ll try to get people to the lobby of the PCT on Thursday to get Bush Hill Practice reopened. They’ve no right to close the surgery like that. If the doctor did a good job they should reinstate him.’
Mary, another local resident, said: ‘I bring my disabled mother here all the time. It would be a great loss if Chase Farm closes down. Any closure is unacceptable. This hospital is more than 100 per cent essential – it’s a must. Some people wouldn’t survive if they had to go further. The elderly would suffer most.’