Cheltenham Maternity Matters

1.54.06pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 26th Oct 2006

Martin receives petition

On Friday September 15th 2006, Cheltenham's Member of Parliament, Martin Horwood received a petition of 10,000 names from the Cheltenham Maternity Matters campaign calling for St Paul's maternity wing to be kept open.

The presentation was made outside the maternity wing at Cheltenham General Hospital in College Baths Road.Martin said " This is by far the largest petition in connection with any of the NHS cuts in Gloucestershire. It just goes to show the strength of support for the St Paul's wing in Cheltenham. We still want a full obstetrician led service, it is encouraging that the PCT has proposed a midwife led unit instead of outright closure, but a town the size of Cheltenham really deserves a full service."

Martin has passed on the petition to Patricia Hewitt at the Department of Health.