I'm a Socialist Claims Ennals

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A chanting crowd of nearly 400 hospital workers and local supporters greeted Minister of State for Health David Ennals on his arrival at St. Nicholas's Hospital in South East London on Monday 26 September.

The hospital has been cited for closure by the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority. Ennals agreed to inspect it after the Community Health Council had responded to a wave of protest and objected to the move.

Ennals was all smiles as he gave his brief set speech about "a very difficult decision" and hurried along to avoid questions.

He spent three hours touring the wards, posing for pictures and engaging patients in smarmy conversation.

Worry and bitterness were written on the patients' faces. One woman from Thamesmead with a broken leg told Socialist Press:

'How can we tell him what we really think? We're terrified down there: it's all concrete. You might be dead before you got to hospital."

She added "I think close it."

At the end of his walk about Ennals refused to give his decision or even to speculate on its timing. He insisted that the area health services would have to suffer an equivalent blow elsewhere if St. Nicholas's were to remain open.

Where, asked how a Labour Minister could justify cutting the Health Services of working people anywhere, Ennals claimed that the NHS was continuing to expand in real terms.

"After all", he spluttered, "I'm a socialist!"

On leaving the hospital he received a "Save St. Nicks" badge which he stuck in h s pocket with an anolnetic laugh Members of the action committee to save St. Nicholas's were divided on the likelihood of Ennals reversing the closure decision.

Socialist Press asked the workers what they would do if he went ahead with the closure.

From their answer it seems clear that some kind of resistance is envisaged. They would now do well to come out openly for occupation and to prepare labour movement support for it throughout the community.