Update: The petition will be delivered to a representative of the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust at the main Mount Vernon office, 9:30am on Monday July 9th.
Local residents have vowed to save Michael Sobell Hospice in Northwood, setting up an online petition addressed to The East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, asking them to “Find a way to replace the current Michael Sobell Hospice building that has come to the end of its life.”
Supporters are encouraged to join for the presentation of the petition. Organiser, Terry Dean, said:
“If you want to join us; The plan is now to congregate on the land just outside the gate 3 entrance of Mount Vernon Hospital on White Hill from 9 to 9:30am on Monday July 9th. I have cleared this with the police and invited them to join us.”
“I will be accompanied by Dr. Elaine Laycock MBE. Dr Laycock was one of the first doctors to work at the hospice soon after it opened. She used some of her time at MSH to help create the first Palliative Care Centre in Serbia which opened in 2013. She took staff from MSH to Serbia to teach them, and brought Serb doctors to MSH to learn. There are now two hospices in Serbia both based on the Michael Sobell model; it is ironic that there may soon not be one in Northwood unless we stand up for it.”
“Dr. Laycock and I will be meeting with Nick Hurd next week to discuss this campaign. I have in my possession a letter from Mr Hurd stating that he welcomes the Department of Health’s End of Life Care Strategy which encourages the development of specialist palliative care and hospice provision.”
If we are able to reach a target of 10,000 signatures we may be able to force a response from Westminster. At this stage we only need everyone who has signed so far to get one more signature! So please share this link if you have not already done so.” https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-michael-sobell-hospice
“Finally I have received a message of support from a relative of Michael Sobell. To remind yourself what we are striving to save please paste the address below into your browser to watch a short video made last year by media students of West Herts College.”
“Thanks for standing up for compassion and the need for members of society to care for each other.”