BUSWORKERS bought their tickets for the June 16th meeting to stop the closure of Ealing Hospital Maternity Unit yesterday.
Last month, the Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group announced that they would be closing Ealing Hospital Maternity Unit by 1st July, then two weeks ago the hospital management started sending out letters to expectant mothers telling them that 24th June was the deadline for giving birth at Ealing, after which they would have to go elsewhere.
Three thousand babies are born at Ealing Maternity every year and the 100 midwives who work here have been told to find work elsewhere. At Greenford Bus Garage yesterday, Unite member Sanman Gurung bought two tickets for the meeting, saying: ‘Driving into Ealing Hospital I know how vital it is.
‘It’s a hospital for working people and poor people. ‘Between Southall and Ealing it’s constantly busy. Four buses have stops outside the hospital and three bus routes terminate inside the hospital grounds. For the thousands of families in the area, it is their lifesaver.
‘Northwick Park, where they are telling people they have to go, takes forever to get to, whereas Ealing Hospital is so accessible. At this garage we will support all action taken to defend our local hospital.’
At the picket outside the hospital, maternity support worker and interpreter Swarn Markan also bought her ticket. She said: ‘They are sending staff from maternity to different hospitals. They have started already. I’m very much worried for the patients – sometimes the mothers have no time. They arrive and have the baby straight away.
‘The people of Southall should come here like they did at Lewisham to gather to stop the closure.
‘This hospital is located in the best position. If the government won’t listen we have to do something forcibly. This facility is not for the government, it is for the local community. This A&E and maternity unit are the most important departments. If they close people will die.’
Ahmed Mohamed, a Southall resident, said: ‘It’s absolutely wrong to close this maternity. The society around here needs free access to hospital, especially mothers and babies. The other hospitals are too far away and overcrowded.’
Haia Athmawey, a 16-year-old student, said: ‘It’s wrong. It will be dangerous for the people. We must march and occupy to stop it.’ Margaret said: ‘I work in mental health and everywhere they are making cuts. Everyone will support a fight to stop the closure.’