"We Love Our Hospitals" - Valentine's Day 14/2/07
In early January hospital action groups met to develop a county wide campaign against Powys Local Health Board’s plans to end hospital inpatient care at Bronllys, Builth, Knighton and Llanidloes. As part of this strategy a “We Love Our Hospitals” event took place today - Valentine’s Day.
Flotillas of red heart-shaped balloons floated up into a cloudless mid-Wales sky as campaigners from four cottage hospitals under threat of closure from Powys Local Health Board went to let their nurses and hospital staff know how much their hard work was appreciated by local people. At Builth, even the ambulance drivers got a red rose to ark the day!
The Valentines Day theme was continued as coach-loads of campaigners from Llanidloes, Builth, Knighton and Bronllys descended on the LHB’s Mansion House HQ. In brilliant sunshine, they delivered ironic Valentine’s Day cards asking Chair Chris Mann and CEO Andy Williams not to break their hearts, along with petitions signed by thousands demanding their local hospitals be kept open.
Presenting Builth’s 3,600 strong petition from his wheel-chair, John Davies spoke from the heart about the vital need to retain locally-based services in the rural areas of mid-Wales. Chris Mann was visibly moved by the passionate determination behind the good-natured demonstration, and promised that he had received the message of the day loud and clear, and that dialogue would continue until acceptable solutions were found.
Pity he didn’t mention listening, but….
As for Andy Williams, although he came down all smiles to meet the campaigners at the car-park, he looked ill at ease in the background as Chris Mann handled the PR duties, and was last spotted trudging back up to his office, a petition under each arm, looking as if he had all the cares of the world on his shoulders.
Which could well be the case if he and Chris are beginning to fall out. The situation could get even stickier for the pair on Monday next, when mid-Wales doctors, who have for years successfully run the very hospitals they are trying to close, get to tell WAG Health Minister Brian Gibbons just what they think of the LHB’s management, competence and motives
One campaigner stated "Our protests are not about bricks and mortar, not about one hospital competing with another - it's about innovative ways of delivering local, quality healthcare that includes bed provision. This current Local Health Board seems fixed on one plan - resistant to new ideas, resistant to change, resistant to the swell of public opinion. It's in all our interests for Powys LHB to listen and take note. This is what today is really about".
Watch the Builth Balloons Fly (WMV, 2.5MB)
Watch John Wilden (Llanidloes) Speaks to Chris Mann (WMV, 1.3MB)
Watch Ken Harris (Knighton) present Valentine's card to Chris Mann (WMV, 4.1MB)
Watch the Bronllys Balloons Fly (WMV, 1.8MB)
Listen to Jonathan Morgan (BACH) reflecting on the day (MP3 audio, 0.9MB)
SPH thanks BACH for the video footage.
Report from GG (mid) - many thanks
Pictures from PH (mid) - many thanks