The family born in Lewisham Hospital
On March 16, 2013, I photographed these three generations of Lewisham residents outside the hospital. Despite heavy rain, they were amongst the hundreds of protestors who gathered outside the hospital to support the ongoing "Save Lewisham Hospital" campaign at an event entitled, "Born in Lewisham," in which those born in Lewisham Hospital were encouraged to come along and share their stories and photos.
The campaign was established in October 2012, when Matthew Kershaw, an NHS Special Administrator appointed to deal with the financial problems of a neighbouring trust, the South London Healthcare Trust (based in Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley), recommended that Lewisham Hospital -- which is not part of the SLHT and has no financial problems -- should merge with one of the SLHT's hospitals, the Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich, and should have its A&E Department closed and other frontline services -- including maternity -- severely downgraded. In Lewisham, this would mean tens of thousands of emergencies having to be dealt with elsewhere, as well as 90 percent of Lewisham's mothers having to give birth outside the borough.
The "Born in Lewisham" event on March 16 followed two huge marches, in November and January, and although Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, approved Matthew Kershaw's plans on January 31, judicial reviews have been launched by Lewisham Council and the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, on the basis that the Special Administrator exceeded his remit when he included Lewisham in his proposals.
For more on Andy Worthington, see: www.andyworthington.co.uk/
For the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, see: www.savelewishamhospital.com/
Also see my most recent articles: www.andyworthington.co.uk/2013/02/01/tories-endorse-nhs-p...
and: www.andyworthington.co.uk/2013/02/19/defend-londons-nhs-m...
and: www.andyworthington.co.uk/2013/03/04/save-lewisham-hospit...
For my photos of the march in November, see: www.flickr.com/photos/andyworthington/sets/72157632089076...
And for the march in January, see: www.flickr.com/photos/andyworthington/sets/72157632616078...
and: www.flickr.com/photos/andyworthington/sets/72157632628284...
For my most interesting photos, see: www.flickriver.com/photos/andyworthington/popular-interes...
The family born in Lewisham Hospital
On March 16, 2013, I photographed these three generations of Lewisham residents outside the hospital. Despite heavy rain, they were amongst the hundreds of protestors who gathered outside the hospital to support the ongoing "Save Lewisham Hospital" campaign at an event entitled, "Born in Lewisham," in which those born in Lewisham Hospital were encouraged to come along and share their stories and photos.
The campaign was established in October 2012, when Matthew Kershaw, an NHS Special Administrator appointed to deal with the financial problems of a neighbouring trust, the South London Healthcare Trust (based in Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley), recommended that Lewisham Hospital -- which is not part of the SLHT and has no financial problems -- should merge with one of the SLHT's hospitals, the Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich, and should have its A&E Department closed and other frontline services -- including maternity -- severely downgraded. In Lewisham, this would mean tens of thousands of emergencies having to be dealt with elsewhere, as well as 90 percent of Lewisham's mothers having to give birth outside the borough.
The "Born in Lewisham" event on March 16 followed two huge marches, in November and January, and although Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, approved Matthew Kershaw's plans on January 31, judicial reviews have been launched by Lewisham Council and the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, on the basis that the Special Administrator exceeded his remit when he included Lewisham in his proposals.
For more on Andy Worthington, see: www.andyworthington.co.uk/
For the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, see: www.savelewishamhospital.com/
Also see my most recent articles: www.andyworthington.co.uk/2013/02/01/tories-endorse-nhs-p...
and: www.andyworthington.co.uk/2013/02/19/defend-londons-nhs-m...
and: www.andyworthington.co.uk/2013/03/04/save-lewisham-hospit...
For my photos of the march in November, see: www.flickr.com/photos/andyworthington/sets/72157632089076...
And for the march in January, see: www.flickr.com/photos/andyworthington/sets/72157632616078...
and: www.flickr.com/photos/andyworthington/sets/72157632628284...
For my most interesting photos, see: www.flickriver.com/photos/andyworthington/popular-interes...