HOSPITAL workers, patients, and local residents in Enfield, said yesterday they would join the march through Enfield on December 4th to stop the closure of Chase Farm Hospital.
They were speaking at the North East London Council of Action picket of the hospital.
People were angry at the announcement that plans to close the A&E, Maternity and Paediatrics departments are to go ahead.
Midwifery student Katherine O’Connell, said: ‘I’m worried about future jobs because previous qualifying midwives haven’t got jobs this year.
‘And I’m worried about the midwives who are educating me at the moment because they will face redundancy if the department is closed.
‘We must fight the cuts and stop the closure.
‘I agree with a sit-in as long as you look after the women in labour. I don’t like this government. They are making too many cuts. They are hitting the NHS and privatising. We have to fight that.’
One of the pickets, Amadeus Quadeer, Walthamstow WRP, added: ‘It’s terrible what they are planning. The government are obsessed with cuts.
‘But you can’t cut your way out of a situation like this. We have to rouse people to take action to stop the closure of hospitals.
‘We rely on the NHS. I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for the NHS. I was in a car accident when I was five and again when I was 11. On both occasions it was life-threatening. Thanks to the care of the nurses and medical staff I am here today to tell the story.’
A clerical worker at the hospital, Kerry Wood, said: ‘It’s bad to close the A&E. Local people haven’t got anywhere close enough to go. Barnet and North Middlesex are too far.
‘We definitely have to fight the closure. I’d support an occupation to keep it open and I’ll join the demo on December 4th. We should get the Bush Hill Park Surgery reopened as well.’
Occupational Therapist, Rachel Kidd, said: ‘We can’t let them close the A&E and Maternity, we need them.
‘Barnet and North Middlesex are quite far away. It would put patients at risk in an emergency. I’ll support an occupation. I’ll join the march on December 4th. We have to stop the closures.’
Outpatient Kathlyne Summers added: ‘The government are out to privatise the NHS. They want to take it away.’