Whittington Hospital row: Public meeting called over Grenfell-linked contractor

A Whittington campaign group has called a public meeting in its campaign to keep a controversial contractor away from the hospital.

The meeting, at Islington Town Hall on January 11, follows a protest at the Archway hospital earlier this month over its decision to team up with Rhyhurst for building work.

Its parent firm Rydon was behind last year’s refurb of Grenfell Tower and campaigners say it is “utterly irresponsible” to employ a subsidiary of the company.

Shirley Franklin, chair of Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition, said: “This is a hospital that has won awards for its standards of care, yet the board’s decision to appoint Ryhurst shows a distinct lack of respect and care.

“The main purpose of this meeting to challenge the board and Ryhurst, and to further plan our campaign.

“We’ve invited Siobhan Harrington [Whittington Health CEO] to explain the position of the board, and we intend to ask a representative of Ryhurst to address us.”

The meeting starts at 7.30pm.