A PETITION opposing the closure and downgrading of hospitals and accident and emergency centres in Surrey, has now been signed by more than 100,000 people. The independent 'Surrey Petition' is open also to everyone living in the county and those who travel into Surrey from Hampshire, Berkshire, Middlesex or Sussex to work or depend on a Surrey hospital for their nearest accident and emergency response. Petition organiser Ken Callanan said: "There has been a high response from areas who have already seen their Accident and Emergency centre closed or downgraded at Ashford, Epsom and Crawley hospitals. "From visiting over two hundred towns and villages with this petition, I doubt ministers or NHS officials know the true depth of anger and betrayal these communities still feel. "This insidious and systematic downgrading of our vital NHS services, to the most seriously ill and injured, is set to spread to St Peters, Royal Surrey County, St Richards and Worthing Hospitals locally and to many other hospitals nationwide. "Remember, your Surrey Primary Care Trust were originally looking at sixteen options for closure or merger of St Peters, Royal Surrey or Frimley Park last summer without telling you". The petition is available by visiting http://www.google.co.uk">www.google.co.uk and searching for the 'Surrey Petition', by emailing [email protected]">[email protected] or by sending a stamp addressed envelope to 30 Ockford Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1QY. The petition must be returned by the end of this month and will be delivered to Prime Minister Tony Blair on June l.
