Comments from 'Light a Candle for the Alex' - 30 September 2006

Because this is a public web site, names have been removed.

At Redditch:

Downgrading the services potentially puts the lives of women and their babies at risk. Also this will have a more long term impact of reducing the standards within the Alex as a whole as it will be less attractive for staff in training. Ultimately this will impact onto the care and treatment of all.
(qualified nurse)

Redditch is in need of all our services at Alex Hospital. This town is growing year by year, and we badly need a local, yes local Hospital, A&E, for mums-to-be, heart patients etc. My husband is disabled now and he has needed the doctors, A&E, lots of times. I also have had 3 operations at the Alex. The new hospital at Worcester should stand on its own, not financially supported by the other hospitals, and the other hospitals suffer and services cut because of that. Keep our Alex open.
(President of a WI)

Redditch has a young population; our Maternity unit is busy all the time for Redditch and Bromsgrove and more babies. It will be a disaster to lose our wards - babies will die!!!

Alex saved my life after heart attack 21.7.06. I am 50 years old. Thank God it was there for A&E.

Redditch is a large town. It is a disgrace to close wards etc. The town will only get bigger.

Please do not take away any of our hospital services. We waited a long time to get a proper hospital in Redditch. We do not want to go back to the days when we have to travel for treatment. Not everyone has transport and people could die getting to further away hospitals. Also, if we do not have transport we cannot visit our loved ones as we would not be able to get home. How sad do people look and feel with no visitors?

I have worked in hospitals and believe key skills need to be centralised and not diluted too much!

Please do not close our much needed hospital services. We are a large town with many young people. We need every service.

We waited a long time for the Alexandra Hospital. What is being proposed beggars belief. We need more staff for the services there are.
(RGN)

It is an absolute disgrace what you are doing. We do not want to travel to Worcester. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
(Retired Care Assistant)

There are not enough Emergency Ambulances to convey patients to other hospitals if these cuts go ahead.
(Redditch Ambulance Paramedic)

As a member of the independent Review Panel I was not consulted on the final document, and my and the views of the panel have been ignored!

To whom it may concern. Closing the maternity and children's ward will create more heartache for local families. Some who can ill afford to travel to Redditch let alone to Worcester.

I have only ever received excellent help and care at the Alex and feel very strongly that cuts should not be made. Many more houses are being built and yet vital services are being cut. The Alex is a superb hospital - staff who work there deserve to keep their jobs.

Don't close wards. Hospital in Redditch is needed particularly for children and adults. I have no transport. Worcester is difficult to reach. Delay in transport - I missed appointment.

No closure. People depend on this hospital especially children and those with cancer.

I had my children at the Alex in 1988 and 1989 and was extremely grateful for the services provided. The thought that new mothers of the future will not be able to receive the same care is appalling. We need local services for local people. We (as a country) find money for the things we want - let's start finding money for the things we need.

To whom it concerns. The people that are doing these cuts have given no thought. People that are feeling ill do not feel like going on two buses (one every hour).

How can we be deprived of local services which are our right? Increase taxes if necessary, but keep all the services at the Alex.

The hospital was built for Redditch people and should be kept so. No closures.

How can emergency cases survive a 40 minute road journey?

There is no way people can travel miles and miles to a different hospital. Redditch is too big. We need the Alex. Save all our units. We want more not less. Save our kids.

Where do these cuts end? Balance the books this year by cutting services at Redditch. These are just fixes. Next year it could be Worcester and so on and so on. Let's stop the rot.

I am disgusted at how the NHS can put children's lives in danger by closing the wards. I am a father-to-be and it worries me for my child. It must not happen.

This would be catastrophic for the people of Redditch, Bromsgrove, Hopwood, Alvechurch etc etc. We are approaching 3rd World proportions - IT MUST NOT HAPPEN!

I was born at the Alex and my friend's mom was saved in childbirth - without their care, chances are both mother and daughter wouldn't have survived. It's a necessary part of Redditch - don’t play with peopl's lives!

Resources are being cut all the time. Redditch needs a maternity ward and children deserve to have the right to medical attention.

We need to keep the Alex open because there are emergencies and sometimes there is not enough time to get to another hospital; and I think a lot of unnecessary deaths will occur by emergency rushes to another hospital. So please don’t shut what we need.

It's a disgrace, and Redditch is a big town. Don't close.

I do not agree with the movement of children care from Redditch to Worcester. The reason is the travelling. The distance is too great.

Accidents that will happen in and around Redditch will have casualties compromised by a journey to Worcester or Birmingham. Remember the Golden Hour.

I am very concerned about the current threats of ward closures. Redditch is a new town with a large population which cannot manage without a full complement of children's/maternity/special care baby units and emergency gynaecology wards. What does the future hold if we do not have the appropriate hospital facilities to support Redditch's 21st century population? How many people are going to have to die while in transit to appropriate facilities before the Health Authority is going to come to its senses?

This hospital was built after years of protest for Redditch and the surrounding areas. Women who are in the late stages of pregnancy do not want to spend hours on public transport. Parents need to have easy access to a hospital when they have children who are in hospital. They do not need the extra worry of how they are going to get to see them. I suggest less pen pushers filling in stupid forms for this benighted government and the money spent where it is really needed - on the front line.

Closing the paediatric centre at the Alexandra Hospital is a backward step in basic health care needs. The population of Redditch continues to grow, and the health care needs of the community grow with it. When will be the first incident, injury or death in having to take the extra journey to Worcester? Who will be responsible?

I cannot believe that with the increasing population in Redditch that the government would even entertain reducing the services of the 'only' hospital in Redditch. Given the population in excess of 85k, even Tesco is expanding to supply the ever increasing population!!

Nye Bevan must now be doing somersaults in his grave!
(retired Nursing Sister)

It's wrong and stupid to take away services that are so needed in Redditch. People and children will suffer because of these cuts.

I feel that the changes planned for the Alex Hospital are unjust and unfair to the people of Redditch.

These services need to be kept local. Older people do not have the money to travel to Worcester and I would not have endured a journey to Worcester when in labour.

A load of rubbish to close these wards. What if it was your family or friends needing them?

I think that the hospital closing is an outrageous decision to be made. It's putting the public at a lot of risk. It can't happen.

I feel it's disgusting that these cuts are programmed. This government needs to wake up 'and smell the coffee'!! Get real, Tony!!

We have 4 children and have used the excellent services at the Alex a number of times. Don't close it or reduce the services - you are risking lives.

Please don’t cut our hospital. People will suffer, and maybe lives could be put at risk.

Save the Alex. We need it.

Someone could die whilst trying to get to a hospital in Worcester. Therefore the hospital is vital to this community.

Disastrous - government doesn't care.

Retaining Childrens Ward at Alexandra is a necessity for 24 hour treatment.

Cannot understand closure of major services, expecting people to travel. This is extra cost to patient and family at a very difficult time. Thought is only put into running costs and not people. People who run and make the rules are not people who know about running of the hospitals.

Waited for years for a hospital - why not leave things as they are!!!

You are wrong to close this hospital. This is a big town. Do the right thing and keep it open.

At the Alex all the services are worth keeping. My daughter was in there 8 months.

Having young children born at the Alex I think it is very disappointing that future parents won't have the same facilities. I found the Alex ward excellent. Please, please reconsider the proposed cuts, particularly Maternity and Chaplaincy. We fought long and hard for our hospital 20 years ago, and since then the town has grown considerably. No cuts should be made at the Alex now or in the future. We need all services. Deaths will be inevitable if we have to travel a further 20 miles.

Say no! Local services are very important.

Leave our hospital alone. A lot of people will suffer if you cut services to the hospital. I had all my children there and I was well looked after on Ward 15.Leave our hospital alone as it's needed for the Worcester people.

We totally disagree with all closures at our Alex.

Save the Alex and don't change it.

It is disgusting that for a town this size that services are being cut from the Alexandra Hospital because of mismanagement. We are being left high and dry which will lead to numerous fatalities. I would dread being pregnant at this time. The risk to yours and your baby's life would be greatly increased. Before the hospital was built, I had to travel to Solihull in the early hours, miscarrying in a lot of pain. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Absolutely disgusted at the threatened changes. My daughter and grandson would have died without the marvellous care of the maternity unit on 02/09/97. Daughter had emergency section and was seriously ill with pre-eclampsia.

No Maternity Unit! If the Alex hadn't had such a good Maternity dept. I may not now have a healthy, happy grandson. Without the Gynaecology dept. I may not still be alive!! Leave our hospital alone!

If the hospital wards close we want to change our MP!!!

It's outrageous that having waited so many years to get a decent hospital that we now face cuts in the provision of services because of lack of funds despite increased taxes.

Absolutely attrocious.

Redditch needs all the departments, not Worcester who can’t cope as it is.

We desparately need the Alex Hospital for all the vital needs. Baby Unit. Accident and Emergency too. Please keep the Pastoral Care. That is so needed.

Not a public service looking for profit and service should be there where needed. Utterly ashamed at Government feeling they can do this. The Prime Minister won't be closing his local hospital will he?!

The health of the people should be the first priority and the birth of children, the future of the country.

Redditch is a large town - Worcester is a very long way for anyone to travel for treatment, for visiting and for emergencies. Reducing vital services at the Redditch Alex hospital is un acceptable. Please ensure no closures.

I am appalled at the proposed closure of maternity and paediatric services. Whatever happened to this 'new town' with all services to be provided - the labour government Richard Crossland's vision?!! And has the chief executive really doubled his salary?

Why are you doing this? Try this:- 1 Go back to care of the patient. 2 Forget all the personal concern about YOUR power base. 3 Remember that people need local care and concern. 4 When you are in pain immediate care is necessary. 5 A 30 mile journey hurts.

Having received much helpful treatment at the Alexandra Hospital, I ask that it may be kept fully open and fully working so it may help many more people.

A&E saved my life a few weeks ago after an asthma attack. I with many others must save this and other departments which are so vital to our ever increasing population.

I could be dead before I get to anywhere else if you close the Hospital. I am asthmatic. Please stay open.

Disgraceful to close Wards. 20 years we have had the benefit of excellent service during these years - do not reduce the service.

I think that is wrong because more people will die having to travel further. Please help!

This hospital should NOT have any cuts whatsoever. This hospital was built for the people of Redditch and the services should stay in Redditch. My grandchildren were born at the Alex and received the best care. KEEP ALL SERVICES AT THE ALEX - THEY ARE NEEDED.

We are concerned as a couple for the proposed closure of maternity unit at Alexandra Hospital as we are planning to have children from next year. We are concerned about having to travel the long distance to Worcester hospital to have a baby.

Redditch is a large town and needs all the wards kept as they are. It is a disgrace to think of closing them.

Without a children's ward our children are at risk. We need this and our A&E. HANDS OFF. LET'S KEEP OUR HOSPITAL INTACT.

The hospital IS much needed. IT IS a lot easier for me to get to with the children when they are ill than the Children's in Birmingham.

My daughter had her babies in 20 minutes - if she had to go to Worcester they would both lose their lives! Keep our hospital.

Please don't take my birthplace. This is the only hospital there is in Redditch.

No cuts in hospital ward please.

Please please do not shut the Alex: as a mother of two young children, if it was not for the Alex they may not be here: with both my pregnancies I had to have emergency Caesarean sections. If I had had to go to Worcester hospital it may have been too late.

We all deserve a first class health service - we earn it - we need it. NO! to cuts!

I do not want the Alexandra Hospital shut down, because I remember I had a daughter who is 11 years old now but she was born premature and in this hospital. First I thought I will lose my child but thank you very much for hospital team. They saved my daughter. So please don't shut Alexandra Hospital, please please.

We waited so long for a hospital. The little Smallwood provided sterling service but was hopelessly inadequate for a town the size of Redditch. Maternity services especially were a great blessing; women expecting a baby could do without nearly an hour's travel each way to Worcester. Why should our area suffer for the sake of empire building at Worcester? Staff should not be put to great anxiety when they answer the call to train, then find themselves on the scrapheap. My husband died earlier this year: if the Alex had not been so close, we would not have had a few precious days together.

It should not be closed. Going to Worcester is unfair for Redditch people.

Without you how will we manage? You have provided health and support to members of my family.

We are really concerned about the proposals for cuts at the Alexandra Hospital. I suffer with brittle asthma and the A&E has saved my life. If I had to go to Worcester I would probably die! We must keep our local hospital to save lives and jobs.

Redditch needs it. Keep it open. Babies' lives are at risk.

Please tell me why.

Keep the hospital open. My granddaughter was born at the Alex at 27 weeks, 13 weeks early. She is now 12 months old. Well done Alex. Worcester, they refused to take her.

Put babies and children first.

I feel it is disgusting that this is happening. How can these cuts be made?!

We need to keep the services running at this hospital! No to the cuts.

With my wife having a baby now it seems impossible to have to drive to Worcester. You should have seen the pain she was in.

Redditch and Bromsgrove people need all the services that the Alex provide. The other choices are not at all practical. How do people travel to Worcester via the M5! People need services not cuts!!

These are valuable services for the forever increasing population in Redditch. Like others I pay my taxes for these services if they go. Please tell me what I am paying for!!!

It's very important for this hospital to remain open.

The people of Redditch and surrounding areas rely upon ALL of the services provided currently at the Alexandra Hospital. Patients and their visitors should not have to make the journey to Worcester, which as well as being an inconvenience, could also be of potential threat to life.

The cuts will cause the loss of life if we have to travel to different departments across the county. The Government need to get their act together.

Redditch & surrounding area needs all current hospital services and more! To deplete any number of departments to pay for Worcester's debt is completely unfair and equates to NO gain on the medium to long term. NHS negligence budget = over £10billion/annum. This figure is going to grow and grow and grow if managers and politicians continue to screw up OUR NHS. I see this in my work every day.

Should not shut hospital people need. What about the disabled and elderly people?

Closing needed wards at our Alex to save £2m is ridiculous considering this Government wastes billions on unnecessary wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Do your duty. We elected you to be responsible not callous!!

As foster carers to life limited and severely disabled children my wife and I would have to give up if the children’s ward was to close.

Please do not close services at the Alex. We waited a long time for it to be opened and it's easy for us to get to when the family are in hospital. If we have to travel to Worcester or Birmingham you have to make arrangements for lifts. I say no to cuts.

Alexandra has to stay with full medical cover.

We need the Alex Hospital for not just maternity and paediatrics, but for everyone. If billions of pounds can be spent on a new building with scanning equipment why not spend the money on keeping the Alex open?

We do not agree that any of the services should be taken away from the Alexandra Hospital. Mothers should be allowed to have their babies in their home town.

Disgusted!! Years to get. 20 years service then on its way out!

Need hospital with needs of maternity wards etc. Will not go 2 Worcester. 2 far. I'm disabled. Cannot get there by myself. No transport. No car.

I am totally opposed to any cuts at the Alexandra Hospital. We need a local hospital which people can get to in a matter of minutes. MINUTES CAN SAVE LIVES. To suggest moving our facilities to Worcester, many miles away from Redditch, is totally ridiculous. What about the needs and wants of the residents of Redditch? Obviously the people who suggest this do not live in the real world and have no common sense at all. They would soon oppose it if any member of their family needed life saving facilities and a 40 plus minute drive away would result in their death. Leave the Alex alone. REMEMBER; MINUTES SAVE LIVES!!

A town the size of Redditch should have an A&E Department. How many lives will be lost due to the extra time taken to travel to Worcester?

This is a ridiculous idea; how can we be expected to travel from Redditch to Worcester in rush hour with a dying person!! There will be some terrible tragedies happen; so many more people will die as a result of this. Perhaps that is the idea; less people to treat less money spent! Is that what we have come to?

Back to the Dark Ages.

We are paying for wars no-one wanted - sending billions to the E U where fraud is rife - yet our local services are under threat due to lack of money. The world is going mad!!
Alvechurch Resident

The people of Redditch need this hospital as it is now.

Without you how will we manage? You have provided health and support to members of my family.

I Andrew have been treated for an illness. To close down any parts of the Alexandra would be a sin.

I think the planned closures and dumbing down of the Alexandra Hospital is a very narrow minded view of the present climate, and not forward and visionary looking as our health minister keeps telling us the NHS is. Moving the maternity and children's ward to Worcester is a grave mistake. My fiancée until recently worked at the Royal and some of the nightmare stories I’ve heard will soon be compounded by this extra influx. The baby boom will soon be around again, thus pushing figures from 1800 over the 2000 mark. Closing the A&E will certainly cause the deaths of countless emergency cases, in which case families should have the right to take civil action against the NHS for their death. The golden 10 minutes! It takes ages to get from Redditch to Worcester. People will die.

We have waited all our lives to get maternity facilities in Redditch. And to get a decent hospital. The people of Redditch deserve this facility. We have earned it.

If you close these departments you are getting rid of life saving departments. This hospital has saved my life and my husband’s life with the care of the EAU Departments. Please do not get rid of any departments. All my grandchildren were born there, and my great grandchildren. You will lose more lives. In danger babies could die on the way to other hospitals.

The more money you take off us the more facilities you take off us. Where will it end? I was there for the grand opening and sadly 20 years later I'm there for the closures.

Concern for families - who looks after children while parents have to go to Worcester for emergency?

I have lighted a candle as I have received general good health at the Alex from the doctors and nurses.

We need the Alex and all services. Worcester's too far to travel in an emergency.

Redditch folk worked extremely hard years ago to get a decent hospital. Having worked in the coffee shop there I realise how important it is to expand its services - NOT DECREASE them.

This issue about the Alexandra Hospital has been going on far too long and should be brought to a final decision as a matter of urgency. In my opinion this is a case of putting finance before people’s lives.

Everything appears to centre on Worcester. The population of Redditch and Bromsgrove requires services for all ages to continue as at present. All speak highly of the services received from the Alexandra. Maternity services needed locally. Short journeys essential.

Redditch is a large town - it needs a hospital in the area, not one miles away which could be difficult for some people to get to. I have to visit the hospital every 3 months for my treatment. I would be unable to do so if things change.

Keep it open.

I was born in Redditch and the hospital was in Bromsgrove. Redditch was then given its own when made a New Town. Now it is bigger than ever. How can it now not need all the facilities a Government in the past thought it needed. It’s a disgrace!! And I think it's due to money and corruption.

I've PAID MY TAXES for 20 years. Why would you take away the Hospital's vital centres????? THAT’S ROBBERY.

Need A&E otherwise have to travel miles to Worcester and this could be life threatening. Need Baby Unit and Ward due to mothers being able to visit or stay with their young children or children that are on life threatening treatment.

SAVE THE ALEX. THE ALEX SAVED MY LIFE.

My wife is due to have a baby in April. I hope there will still be a local hospital for her to go to. I would gladly pay more tax to keep local hospitals open.
Martin Dailey

It's not fair.

Do not want loss of services in any shape or form. Get rid of some of the bosses.

How silly sending children to Worcester. How can mothers stay with them when they have other children at home to feed and look after them?

I say no because my granddaughter was in the special unit and now has to go to the children's ward every month and it would cost my daughter a lot of money on fares to get to Worcester, and children could die if they have to go too far.

Redditch cannot do without the children's ward or the special care as when I had my baby it got her through live and I am very grateful as she would not be here today. Also I do want another child and don't fancy travelling in an ambulance while I am in labour. I think it's a stupid idea.

I have always felt that the Alexandra Hospital is an integral part of the community in this area. In the past ten years I have had two gynaecological operations and more than one admission via A&E for an ongoing heart condition and the thought of going all the way to Worcester appals me. The care and attention I have received has always been excellent. Maternity services and a facility for children must surely be considered essential for the parents and children of Redditch and Bromsgrove.

This is a growing town. Not all of us drive, or have decent public transport, so can't travel easily out of town. Being Redditch born and bred - and will probably die here I’d like future generations to have the same chance. Keep the Alex!

Do not close any department as it took us long enough to get it. Other hospitals are too far when you have no transport.

I have lit a candle to show support for the Alex Hospital. I enjoy good health but want to know there is a hospital near at hand.

At Bromsgrove:

Concern for those who may never realise that there could have been help, comfort and support available through hospital chaplains - but there wasn't because of the cuts.

Concern for those who have to travel a long distance for treatment and if they have to stay in hospital, a long distance for visitors. Time is important.

Keep the Princess of Wales Hospital functioning as a full hospital. I am grateful for all the care I have received here. The only reason for closing is money not improved services.

For those who are mentally ill and their families.

The Alex Hospital. As you enter the door it is a place where the healing begins. Experience has shown that the medical staff care for the whole person. Each patient is treated personally and not one to whom this, that or the other procedure has to be done to. It is important and vital to local communities when in times of vulnerability they are made to feel loved and in safe hands.

I wish to make the strongest plea possible - almost a demand - for all the normal medical requirements of the population of North Worcs to be kept permanently at the Alexandra Hospital Redditch. To increase the distance from Bromsgrove area to receive the excellent services at present available there is utterly unthinkable and totally unacceptable. Please do everything necessary to maintain the Alexandra as it is.

May I give my full support to the Alex Hospital. Keep the Wards open. It is so important for the people of Bromsgrove and the District - where the doctors and staff are so kind and thoughtful. Also thank you to the Princess of Wales Hospital for the help and care the people get - Bromsgrove and District. Kind regards.
Councillor Janice Boswell - Vice Chairman of Bromsgrove Council.