Labour councillors in Harwich have reacted angrily to the sudden announcement that Harwich’s maternity unit is closed for deliveries with immediate effect
Labour has been leading the fight to retain all existing maternity services at Harwich Hospital, insisting that hospital bosses attend Harwich Town Council, holding a special meeting of Harwich Town Council to demand the support of local MP, Bernard Jenkin, and forcing the Conservative administration at TDC to back down and support a Labour call for all existing maternity services to be retained at both Harwich and Clacton hospitals.
Leader of the Labour Group on Harwich Town Council, Ivan Henderson, says, “This has been described as a temporary measure but no time scale for births to resume at Harwich has been announced. We desperately need Bernard Jenkin to step in on this one. As the local MP he can demand information and assurances on behalf of his constituents”
Labour councillors became extremely worried after hospital bosses attended a meeting of Harwich Town Council and, in the opinion of Labour, treated the council with contempt and behaved rudely and aggressively. It was after this meeting that Harwich Town Council sought the support of Bernard Jenkin and, although he assured councillors that he supported Harwich Town Council’s position, the Labour Group is not convinced that his actions are matching his words.
Councillor Garry Calver says, “I was part of Ivan Henderson’s team when he was our local MP and I witnessed how much he put in to keep our maternity unit open. He showed total commitment and, working alongside local campaigners, he kept our maternity unit open. I am not seeing the same commitment from Bernard Jenkin and we need him working with us. It’s time for him to lead this campaign in the same way that Ivan did in the mid 1990s.”
For further information please contact:
Harwich Labour Press Officer Garry Calver on 01255 551940