This Is What We Do - the Campaign to Save OUR Royal Victoria

Written by Tim Prater - Chair, Shepway Liberal Democrats and published in Update Members Newsletter - January 2007 on Thu 11th Jan 2007

Shepway Lib Dem Council Group Leader Lynne Beaumont at the Royal Victoria Hospital

To learn that there was a proposal to sell-off the largest part of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Folkestone came as a real shock to local people just before Christmas - not least to the Lib Dems.

Since then, the Shepway Lib Dems have been leading the campaign to get the truth on these proposals, and to make sure that local people actually get their voice heard. Too often, proposals like this develop quietly until they become a fait accompli and just "happen". That's wrong, and we are determined that this will not be the case for the RVH - ALL proposals, ALL plans, ALL views MUST be heard BEFORE a decision is taken.

We will continue to push to get the truth told - as we have had to just last week to find out that far from all services at the RVH being "safe", the NHS are actually already considering removing the Derry unit and its Urology services elsewhere.

It hasn't been easy. The NHS Trust started by claiming that selling the largest part of the hospital would have absolutely no impact on services there (yeah, right), and setting up a major campaign in 10 days (web site, leaflets, letters, public meeting) is not as easy as you might think!

However, we've done it, we're getting the message out, and people are learning about the threat to the hospital and starting to have their say. We're on-line at www.sorv.org.uk, and frankly, the comments of local people on the last few days say WHY the Royal Victoria should be fought for far better than I can.

"I have to attend the Derry Unit regularly and it will be a considerable inconvenience to have to go to Ashford if the services are transferred to the William Harvey. There is seldom enough parking space at that hospital anyway. The damage to the environment of patients having to undertake considerably longer journeys in cars, etc. should also be considered."

"There is an excellent urology service at the RVHF which benefits a lot of local people, many of whom are elderly. I think it would be a great shame for Folkestone to lose this service which has an excellent reputation for patient care. Do they really want even more congestion at the William Harvey?"

"Patients' (and their families' and friends') well-being should be the greater priority. If the present buildings are inadequate then they should be improved not sold or demolished - 21st century building is less likely to survive in such good order as that built in the 19th/early 20th."

"If the present trend of Hospital closures is continued I can foresee that eventually there will be just one gigantic hospital for Kent probably the other side of Maidstone leaving us all to have to travel 50/60 miles. There is absolutely no consideration given to either the patients or their relatives we are only required to foot the bill."

This is why we campaign. This is who we fight for. We have a crucial role in telling people what is happening to THEIR services. There's a lot to do, but we've made a great start.

Thanks to all those who are already a part of it - and if you would like to help, you can learn more at the campaign site www.sorv.org.uk or contact me, Lynne Beaumont or the Shepway Lib Dems office - we'd love to hear from you.