Worried father-to-be launches hospital campaign (From Bucks Free Press)
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Worried father-to-be launches hospital campaign
3:30pm Thursday 21st January 2010 in
A WORRIED dad-to-be says he will move his wife into an hotel near Stoke Mandeville Hospital because he fears she might be forced to give birth in the back of an ambulance.
Ben Gill, 36, and wife Lisa, 33, are expecting their third child in April but say they are “scared and stressed” at the thought of battling through the rush hour traffic to Aylesbury.
Doctor-led births and inpatient children services were moved from Wycombe Hospital to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in October.
The Penn couple's two-year-old Eleanor was delivered at Wycombe Hospital within 90mins of Mrs Gill going into labour.
Mr Gill says if the same happens again there is “no chance” they will get to hospital in time.
He said: “Our GP said if she goes to High Wycombe and needs an emergency c-section, she would be put in an ambulance - but she wouldn't get to Stoke Mandeville in time.
“And if we go for a home birth and it is out of hours, the midwife comes from Aylesbury.
“So we're going to move into a hotel a month before – we're fortunate we can afford to do that but many people can't – it's a shocking situation.”
Mr Gill has now launched a Facebook campaign to canvas support from south Bucks residents against the transfer of key services to Aylesbury.
More than 2,500 people have joined the Fight to Re-Open the Maternity Unit at Wycombe Hospital group and Mr Gill says he will launch a formal campaign group if the Facebook page exceeds 4,000 members.
Click on the link below to view the Facebook group.
Comments(5)
acey77
says...
7:03pm Thu 21 Jan 10
I can't praise enough the very competent ambulance staff. However, it is unfair that they are now turned into midwifes. They tried to get a midwife on board but no-one was available.
We were turned away from Stoke Mandeville when calling before and feel that an assessment by phone is just not good enough.. even though this was my second child, you never know.
I was high risk (otherwise I probably would have stayed at home by that stage) and I ended up with blood transfusions as expected... it was a very stressful experience.
ivor
says...
9:12pm Thu 21 Jan 10
~
A town the size of Wycombe needs a hospital capable of dealing with anything.
~
Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “YOUR SAY” link at the top of the page then click on “BLOGS”.
bendg25
says...
8:52am Sat 23 Jan 10
MC=2 wrote:Hi MC=2,
I would join but im not on Facebook and never will be, i agree with the worries this father and mother are going through
You can register on http://savewycombeho
spital.org. This campaign site is still being setup, but we will be migrating the facebook group over to this site once the numbers hit 4,000.
Thanks for your support
bendg25
says...
9:00am Sat 23 Jan 10
MC=2 wrote:I forgot to say, if anyone else wants to help out on the campaign, and we need lots of people (not enough people have come forward so far), then please send an email to:
I would join but im not on Facebook and never will be, i agree with the worries this father and mother are going through
reopenwmu@googlegrou
ps.com
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Worried father-to-be launches new hospital campaign
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MC=2 says...
6:50pm Thu 21 Jan 10