Hartlepool hospital campaigners support striking junior doctors

Hospital campaigners have taken part in demonstrations in support of striking junior doctors and to highlight the fight for local services.
Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital members on Holdforth Road.Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital members on Holdforth Road.
Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital members on Holdforth Road.

Members of Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital group demonstrated outside the University Hospital of Hartlepool yesterday.

On Wednesday, the group also joined junior doctors on the picket line at the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton.

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Glen Hughes, deputy chairman of Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital, said: “We decided to come here and once again highlight our fight for the hospital.

“We were at North Tees on Wednesday, where most services have been centralised from Hartlepool. From talking to the junior doctors, they are in full support of what we are saying regarding Hartlepool hospital.

“North Tees is crammed. Patients should be moved back here to help ease the burden.”

A fourth national strike by junior doctors in a row with the government over new contracts ended last night.

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A fifth is planned later this month and is set to see the doctors not provide emergency cover for the first time.

Glen added: “Striking is a last resort. This is a profession they want to get into but they are being hampered by crazy decisions that is going to affect their life, jobs, patients and the whole of the NHS.

“It is an unacceptable situation.”

The campaign group will also express its solidarity with the junior doctors and NHS when members join other groups at the March to Save Our NHS in Newcastle tomorrow.