Video
VIDEO: By Sarah Dale. Click to watch the vigil, march and petition handover - double click for full screen
IT was the final countdown at Worthing Hospital where protesters staged an all-night vigil before coming face to face with the Primary Care Trust chief executive John Wilderspin.
Wednesday, November 14 was the deadline for the controversial Fit for the Future consultation and KWASH campaigners fighting to prevent the downgrading of Worthing and Southlands hospitals were out in force for the final push.
More than 25 people gathered outside Worthing Hospital at 6pm on Tuesday. Of those, a dozen campaigners spent 13 hours outside the hospital, staying awake in the cold and rain.
At 7.15am on Wednesday morning, the eager KWASH protesters set off for the PCT headquarters at The Causeway, Goring, marching, chanting and pushing the KWASH hospital bed and coffin stacked with more than 129,000 signatures opposing the health cuts.
The KWASH campaigners arrived at the PCT at 8.15am, met by more than 100 other protesters along with representatives from the Princess Royal Hospital, in Haywards Heath, and St Richard's Hospital, Chichester.
John Wilderspin emerged from the headquarters to be met by a colourful array of banners, balloons and furious protesters all ready to make the final minutes count.
Along with the 129,000 signatures, Mr Wilderspin was handed a copy of the alternative proposal that clinicians at Worthing and Southlands hospitals have put forward as well as a formal response to the consultation from the MPs in the form of two large files packed with 1,000 pages of evidence.
*For the full story and an exclusive interview with John Wilderspin, see the Worthing Herald Thursday, November 15.
To the exclusive video interview with John Wilderspin click here.The full article contains 286 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
