Thousands of Redditch residents are continuing to back Rachel’s campaign to secure the return of the Garden Suite Chemotherapy Unit to the Alexandra Hospital.
Back in May, the MP for Redditch launched her petition which calls on Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to return the Garden Suite to the town’s hospital.
The petition was launched following comments from health bosses who said the ‘temporary’ re-location of the chemotherapy unit from the Alex to Kidderminster may become permanent.
Since then, Rachel has convened a number of Alex Working Group meetings with the Trust to make the case for this vital service to be returned to Redditch’s hospital.
And residents are continuing to support Rachel’s calls for the Garden Suite to be returned with more than 7,000 residents now having signed the MP’s petition.
Rachel said:
“Since the very moment we learnt the Garden Suite had been temporarily re-located to Kidderminster, I’ve been clear and consistent in my belief and desire to see this vital service returned to the Alex.
“Before the pandemic struck, there was already a chemotherapy suite at Kidderminster. This now means there are currently two chemotherapy units operating from Kidderminster.
“If the Alex was to permanently lose the Garden Suite, then it would be the only one of the Acute Trust’s hospitals not to provide chemotherapy. This is a situation that I cannot and will not accept.
“All three of the Acute Trust’s hospitals must provide chemotherapy, as they did before the pandemic.
Health bosses are still yet to make a decision about the future permanent location of the Garden Suite, but in a meeting with Rachel, they confirmed a decision would be made by the “end of the calendar year.”
“There’s still time to make your voice heard, so please do sign my petition if you haven’t already done so,” Rachel added.
“This issue is above party politics. Whether you voted for me or not, I hope we can come together to speak with one voice to demonstrate to health bosses that we’re united in our belief that chemotherapy should be provided at the Alex.”
