Kent News - Thousands join Carroll's bid to end maternity move

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Friday, September 3 2010, 6:53

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Thousands join Carroll's bid to end maternity move

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Peter (left) launched his campaign in Maidstone town centre

More than 2,000 people have joined an online petition against relocating Maidstone’s consultant-led maternity unit, Yourmaidstone reports.

The Keep Full Maternity in Maidstone group on social networking site Facebook was set up by Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and Weald Peter Carroll.

Mr Carroll has launched a campaign to block Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust’s plans to move the unit to the new Pembury Hospital, when it opens in 2011.

At the time of writing 2,289 members had joined the group.

Mr Carroll said: “The success of the group is really striking. As well as the large numbers joining to show their support, many have actually posted stories of their own experiences of maternity services.

“Some of the postings are very upsetting and traumatic. These postings have made me even more determined to win this campaign.”

One mother wrote: “How they can say that they will only have low risk deliveries at Maidstone is beyond me.

“I had all my children at Maidstone and in 2001 I had a low risk delivery, which turned dramatically and resulted in the death of my baby boy during the final stages of labour and me losing three pints of blood.

“Anything can happen and you need a specialist team there for mum and baby, to remove that is downright dangerous. The team there couldn't save my little one but they saved me, I really hope they rethink this proposal.”

Mr Carroll and his team have delivered more than 18,000 petition forms to households across Maidstone and another 8,000 are expected to be delivered this week.

The boss of a haulage firm in Larkfield, who shot to national fame fighting for fair rights for the Gurkhas, added: “Only by showing that the overwhelming majority of local people are against this move can hope to convince the Government to make local health bosses re-consider.”

To sign Mr Carroll’s petition visit www.petercarroll.org.uk/petitions.

POSTED: 29/09/2009 15:33:38

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