50,000 people march for Stafford Hospital

Thousands of people marched on Saturday to save Stafford Hospital’s acute services – thanks to reporter Jack Taylor and photographer Joshua Cope for this feature…

A Monitor report published in February called for the closure of acute services, including the A&E department. The trust that runs the hospital – the Mid Staffordshire – was put into administration by the health regulator Monitor on Monday 15th April as its clinical and financial future could not be guaranteed.

Local people took to the streets, however, to demand a future for Stafford Hospital.

Support Stafford Hospital campaigners and police said up to 50,000 people had joined the mile-long march from Stafford town centre to the hospital. The campaign group said the town’s Market Square was so full of protesters that it took 90 minutes for it to clear after the march started at about 2pm.

Going from Market Square in Stafford it took well over 2 hours for everyone to arrive at the Stafford Hospital site where they were welcomed by the day’s MC XL-FM, Stafford Lancers and the petition to save the hospital.

Jeremy Lefroy, Stafford MP, said: “Today is tremendous and we are so fortunate that there are so many people who still want our acute services. The strong support is extraordinary and everyone should be extremely proud. [Health Secretary] Jeremy Hunt should take notice as the people have spoke.”

Bill Cash, Stone MP, said: “The atmosphere here today is electric and this shows the great opinion that the real people think. It is the biggest public demonstration in my memory and we should feel proud. It is a tribute to all those who we have lost.”

Geoff Annas, Bishop of Stafford, said: “What an amazing atmosphere, it goes to show when people want something they go for it, and strong. Jeremy Hunt take notice as we need our hospital and the people who it serves need it to0.”

Sue Hawkins, chair of the Support Stafford Hospital group, said she believed it was important for people to move on from what had happened in the past at the hospital. She said: “We’ve got a safe hospital today and we’re looking to the future. We need to have an intensive care unit here, we need to have an accident and emergency 24 hours a day and we believe that’s possible. We know there has to be changes, we know there may have to be some alliance with another hospital to achieve that.”

I also met a lady with a very moving story. Jennifer Holleran’s son was taken into Stafford Hospital in October 2012 with a very rare case of chicken pox. He was very ill and she was told to expect the worst. The nurses and the doctors worked on her son and finally were able to stabilise and care for him. Jennifer is now so inspired and thankful to Stafford Hospital that she has now trained as a nurse and starts at Stafford in June.

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To learn more about the Save Stafford Hospital campaign click here.

If you were there on Saturday at the march and have any pictures or stories to tell us then post on Facebook, Twitter or email news@alittlebitofstone.com

You can see all of Joshua Cope’s photographs HERE

You can also see lots of videos from the day by Sarah Gayton by clicking HERE

Here’s one of them…