Save B'ham hospital!
Socialist Press1979 1979-11-21Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 11 →
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PHOTO: Charlie Augusto, IFL Slough.
A Birmingham Area Health Authority working party report has recommended the closure of the John Conolly Psychiatric Hospital at Rubery near Longbridge.
The working party are trying to mask the closure by calling their proposals "a change of use"
However, this "change" would involve the transfer of the John Conolly patients and administration to the Rubery Hill Hospital, which is on the same site.
This would lead to the loss of at least half of the John Conolly beds, and an added burden on other hospitals such as Highcroft and Hollymoor as well as on Rubery Hill.
The John Conolly Joint Trades Union Committee has leafleted most of the Health Service union branches in the area together with a number of industrial branches, notably the BL plant at Longbridge, asking for support for a "model resolution" which asks the AHA to reconsider its proposals.
But the 427 Branch of COHSE, whilst supporting these proposals, points out quite NOVEMBER 7TH... A FATEFUL DAY!
| MIGHT HAVE KNOWN... THOUSANDS OF THE BUGGERS-CHRIST KNOWS HOW MANY WILL TURN OUT ON NOV 28TH!
JUST LISTEN TO 'EM...
LIKE A CROWD OF BLASTED SAVAGES! WISH LEN WERE HERE TO WARN THEM AGAINST HYSTERIA! OH NO. correctly that they likely to be adequate the hospital.
Moral argument has not yet saved a single hospital.
Instead the 427 Branch og COHSE calls on the staff at John Conolly to follow the example of workers at St. Benedicts in London and pledge themselves to occupy the hospital and take over its administration from the management.
Only this can prevent the gradual run-down of services and the gradual transfer of administration to Rubery Hill.
At the same time workers at Rubery Hill and at other hos pitals, ambulancemen and porters must take the necessary steps to prevent a transfer of patients from the John Conolly.
It is also essential to gather pledges of supporting strike action from other sections of industry and the public sector.
The attacks upon Leyland and the John Conolly are part and parcel of the same thing.
Leyland workers and hospital workers share a common battle.
The answer must be occupy all threatened plants and hospitals and organise supporting strike action. are not in saving I THINK IT'S TIME TO BOLT THE DOOR.
DISBAND VATIONALISE THE OIL.