Thousands of people march to save The Whittington Hospital A&E
 | | Protesters on the march |
SEVERAL thousand people took to the streets on Saturday in a mass show of support for the hospital they have relied on throughout their lives.
Celebrities, campaigners, patients and petitioners marched the length of Holloway Road calling for health bosses to save The Whittington Hospital's accident and emergency department.
 | | Protesters in Holloway Road |
Leading the way was 104-year-old Hetty Bower, who was determined to be at the front when the crowd left Highbury Corner at 12.30pm.
Hetty said: "I will walk all the way. I am here to stop any destruction of the National Health Service!"
Bringing up the rear were two-year-olds Martha Croxen and Isobel Carter, who held up cat-shaped placards as they walked - the hospital is named after the legendary Dick Whittington, who arrived in London to seek his fortune accompanied only by his cat.
In the middle of the throng were actors Juliet Stevenson and Bill Paterson.
Law and Order UK actor Mr Paterson said: "I live near here. I have been here on a number of occasions. I will fight to protect it."
Health bosses at NHS London are planning to downgrade the hospital in Magdala Avenue, Archway.
One of the services it could lose is its accident and emergency department - which would force people to travel to the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead or University College Hospital in Euston.
Other services under threat are the maternity ward, the intensive care unit and the children's beds.
NHS bosses, who need to shave £560million a year from their £2.27billion budget by 2016-2017, claim people will get better healthcare if specialist services are concentrated on fewer - but more expert - sites.
But this model was rejected by the thousands of people who took to the streets on Saturday - with megaphone-wielding Dr Hannah Caller, a Homerton hospital paediatrician, leading the chants of: "A&E here to stay! Hospital closures stay away!"
The march, which was organised by the Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition, culminated in a rousing rally outside the doors of the Whittington.
The crowd cheered as Labour MP Frank Dobson said: "Thinking of Dick Whittington, some d***heads have decided that they will save money by closing the A&E here and building clinics all over Islington and south Haringey to replace the Whittington A&E. This is a lunatic idea."
And they applauded wildly as fellow Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, one of the key figures behind the march, added: "My friends, we have had a magnificent march. We have shown local opinion at its best. Together my friends, we are going to win!
For more pictures of the Save The Whittington Hospital A&E march, click here
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