8th September 2007

Click 'Read more' for Stroud Parliamentary candidate Cllr Martin Whitesides' letter to the press or here for news release

The decision by Gordon Brown's new Minister of Health to ignore the wishes of local people and allow the closure Weavers Croft in-patient beds is deeply shocking. This is bad for patients, carers and the environment. As Mayor John Marjoram described in your paper this is "a direct attack on the most vulnerable people, and their often-older carers, in our community."

Mental health services in this country have always been starved of funding, but this centre, opened some 20 years ago,was a step forward in local quality health provision for older people. Most of the patients going to Weavers Croft are suffering from illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease; they need the excellent local care and the support of nearby relatives that they can get at Weavers Croft.

Over 3000 marched last year to protest at health cuts, many more wrote letters: some services have been saved but despite forecast increases in the number of older people we are still set to lose these beds.  The humanity of society can be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable - and in this case our Government is failing Stroud.

I believe the NHS should be properly funded and kept public.  Our taxes should funded first class health, not the profits of Private Finance Companies, estimated at £3.3 billion! Just think how much health care this money could provide!

I would urge people who care about our NHS to support the national campaign 'Keep Our NHS Public'(www.keepournhspublic.com). Sadly out of the main political parties only the Greens have so far signed up to this important campaign.

Martin Whiteside
Hillside, Claypits Lane, Lypiatt, Stroud
Stroud Green Party Parliamentary Spokesperson