[Two members of the local Labour Party (both…]

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Two members of the local Labour Party (both women) voted with the consultants and businessmen for closure. One of them, Lillias Gilles, was the mover of a resolution at the London Region Labour Party Conference opposing cuts and closures in the NHS Over 100 people, mainly women, went to the meeting to express their support for the campaign to keep the hospital open.

For many of the women there it was their first time at a DHA meeting. They were disgusted by the way decisions about their health and jobs are taken. It was obvious that the closure has nothing to do with better facilities for patients. The South London is being closed to save money and further erode the NHS in favour of private medicine in line with Thatcher's dictates.

The staff know that, the community know that and the District Health Authority know that. However, most of the DHA would not admit it. There were long speeches from consultants with vested interests in closure, supporting closure "on grounds of good health"

Two people denounced the farce of the consultation process and the unrepresentative nature of the DHA.

It was pointed out that the DHA had only four women and no black people on it. Yet women, and particularly ethnic women, would lose out most if the hospital closes.

Andy Harris, ILEA rep, contrasted the "consultation" in the NHS to the consultation practiced by ILEA and called for a series of public meetings with the chair of the DHA attending to answer local people's questo scoo Despite the . tions. The DHA chair has consistently refused to attend public meetings on the closure.

One brass necked consultant claimed that there had been a poor response from the public to the consultation document and that obviously there was not much interest in the hospital. He ignored a petition against closure with 50,000 signatures on it!

The meeting proved yet again that consultations are a diversion from the real fight to save hospitals. A successful fight against closure will depend on the strength of the workers and the local community.

It is essential for the workers to organise against closure and to use the fantastic amount of support in Wandsworth to help them. The workers, particularly the ancillary workers must take the initiative now and occupy the hospital.

The consultants and senior nurses have supported the campaign up till now. But they were not prepared to voice their opinion when out and out lies were being used at the meeting as justification for closure. They were more angry at the hecklers than at the authority members.

Links have been built with OPpA ATT ON NO MON 9003To Soul The workers should demand to

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Women in struggle

choose women BLONDA

-UNDON MOR CUTS