If you have ideas for the campaign, or would like to offer to print leaflets, posters or stickers please send your idea or offer to SAVE@savedoddingtonhospital.org

We'll put ideas here on the Noticeboard and publish the names of campaign sponsors.

For our Questions and Answers page click here

Letters:

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Surely this is the way to go, Somerset has a network of community hospitals, offering a variety of services, for the whole community.  There's no use having 'clinical excellence and safety' in large centres if people are unable to access it!  Anyone who's tried to get a 91year old to a clinic in Hinchinbrook from March will know what I mean.

http://www.somerset-health.org.uk/services/hospitals/index.html
  
Centralisation will mean bigger salaries for the Managers, is it cynical to believe that this is their main aim, not the 'Best Public Service' for the patient that they pay lip service to?
 
Bill & Wendy Hill  March

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Did you know that for the pulbic consultation only 2000 questionaires are being printed, (printing has been delayed), and they are not being sent to the local general population, but to specified groups. This means only certain people will be able to complete a copy and give their views via this means. I was told at a staff meeting on 1 July that this was to avoid "cheating, and improper use!!". Only official questionaires , with the special embossed paper, will be looked at The public consultation meetings are being held at the end of July, between 4pm and 8pm, during which time a member of the PCT will be in attendance for only some of the time. This means if the general pulbic cannot stay for the whole 4 hours they probably will miss the PCT representative. I asked at the meeting why the questionaires were not being circulated to the whole population by means of the local press, assuming cost was a prohibitive factor. I was told it was to make sure it didn't go to people not concerned with South Fenland Review ie people in Wisbech etc. When I said patients from Wisbech and surrounding areas attend Doddington Hospital, I was met with great surprise. It seems those in charge do not know who uses Doddington Hospital and its services. During this discussion I felt my name badge was being very closely scrutinised!!

Name and address supplied.

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Hi,
I have only visited the hospital once,with my young son (age 3),to the Wednesday eye clinic.
It was WONDERFUL !! We unfortunately had a long wait,but the atmosphere in the hospital was so friendly,all the children waiting played together nicely with the vast array of toys supplied,from cars to a play house to colouring pencils and books. The parents all chatted like we'd always known each other.
The staff,both nurses and reception staff were really helpful and were very much child friendly,communicating with them on their level.
My son actually cried when we had to come home,he wanted to stay!
I cannot stress enough how important this hospital is. Please save this hospital. I would hate to take my son anywhere else.

Yours, Mrs A Shelton

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It would be a travisty to close the Hospital, it is such a lovely place to visit compared to most other Hospitals, it would be wonderful to see some extended facilities there.
 
Liz And Roy in CHATTERIS 

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From: Richard Powell
(48, Eastwood, Chatteris PE16 6RU)
 
Whilst this hospital may appear small to the global market its facility to deliver the medical care currently chosen by managers is second to none and with none of the abject misery of visiting hospitals in, say, Peterborough.  The latter means each patient giving a morning or an afternoon towards a quarter of an hour appointment, fighting through foul traffic in both directions and the sheer joy of an hospital where management cannot even deliver parking spaces.  Were patients not sick at the start of the visit to Peterborough Hospital, they probably will be by the end.
 
I feel Doddington to be essential to the peace of mind of those it serves and to visitors.
 

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From Lisa - e-mail only

We recently moved to the Fens from Essex, where we have seen numerous community hospitals such as this close and never resurface again.  All under the promise of refurbishment which never happened.  We had 3 hospitals close.  Everyone for approx. 20 miles radius had to travel to one outdated hospital that just could not cope.  The staff did their bit but it just wasn't enough.  The waiting lists grew ever longer (but obviously were shuffled around so the figures didn't look too alarming) the treatment declined and it got to the point where people just did not want to go there no matter how ill they were.

We cannot let the same thing happen here. 

Keep Doddington Hospital Open and keep it where it is.

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