THE fight to keep Harefield Hospital open has only just begun was the message that came loud and clear from the first Heart of Harefield campaign meeting since health minister John Hutton announced the hospital would close and move to Paddington.

Harefield Hospital supporters packed St Mary's Church Hall in High Street, Harefield, on the night of Thursday, October 18, to hear from campaign leader Mrs Jean Brett and speeches from Conservative and Labour MPs.

Despite Mr Hutton's announcement Harefield Hospital would close and its specialist services would be moved to a new "super hospital" to be built in Paddington, Mrs Brett, of Moneyhill Road, Rickmansworth, said the announcement only served to strengthen the campaign.

The next phase of the fight would be to move for a judicial review, at a cost of about £60,000.

Mrs Brett said at the meeting: "The 'public' consultation was not public. The public said they wanted the hospital to stay. Despite that, the decision went against us.

"What's the point of spending public money on public consultations when they are an absolute sham?

"There is no way the announcement of the news of the closure coinciding with the start of the war in Afghanistan was an accident either. We have to ask for an investigation.

"The announcement has made me even more determined that we should win.

"We will start the process of judicial review. It will be a long process which we will need to approach bit by bit but, if you want something, you've got to fight for it."

The decision to go for a judicial review is one supported by local MPs, including Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington Mr John McDonald, who has always spoken against the Government's attitude to Harefield.

Mr McDonald said: "The decision to move Harefield is not about rational health decisions. They want to rationalise health services and sell off the land.

"They are not thinking about the patients first.

"This short-term decision should be exposed for what it should be sheer bloody lunacy.

"The good thing is, they will think we will now go away, but there is no prospect of that. We will expose them and the fight must go on."

Supporters can attend a peaceful protest at Harefield Hospital on Wednesday, October 31, when Health Secretary Alan Milburn is coming to cut the first sod for the science and research centre.

Mrs Brett added: "Mr Milburn is coming for a good reason and we will greet him quietly but people should be there to show how we feel about the Harefield decision."

Protesters should meet on the village green in Harefield by 9.30am.

A fighting fund has also been launched for the judicial review process to raise £60,000 needed for legal fees and the campaign.

Mrs Brett encouraged people to hold coffee mornings and other fundraising events to help.

Cheques can be made payable to Heart of Harefield and sent to The Treasurer, Heart of Harefield campaign office, 12 High Street, Harefield.

October 30, 2001 15:30