Campaigners bring battle to save services at South Tyneside District Hospital to Parliament; Prime Minister Theresa May defends plans to move services from South Tyneside to Sunderland.
Byline: Jonathan Walker
Campaigners opposing a reduction in maternity, children's and stroke services at South Tyneside District Hospital have taken their fight to Westminster.
Supporters of the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign visited Parliament to urge the Government to block the changes, which would mean more patients are treated at Sunderland's Royal Hospital.
The 35 campaigners, who made the long journey by coach, watched South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck challengePrime Minister Theresa May to protect services.
Health Secretary Jeremy Huntis currently considering the plans.
Roger Nettleship, chair of the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign and a former hospital porter, said: "Our aim for this trip is to further take this fight to save our hospitals services to Westminster and demand that these services are protected and guaranteed as everyone has a right to health care and equal access to those services in their towns and cities."
Proposed changes include moving all acute stroke services to Sunderland from April 2019.
South Tyneside's special care baby unit will close, with all "high-risk" deliveries admitted to a consultant-run department at Sunderland.
However, a midwifery-led birthing centre will continue.
Sunderland and South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Groups says the changes are essential in order to ensure patient safety, partly because the hospitals have been struggling to recruit staff.
But speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Lewell-Buck said: "Despite a groundswell of opposition form public, staff and clinicians, this government is actively supporting the removal of vital services from South Tyneside Hospital.
"Can the Prime Minister tell the 149,000 people who rely on our hospital why?"
Mrs May insisted she was not responsible for the changes, but went on to say they would benefit patients.
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She said: "It is for the local NHS to make decisions about the future of local health services.
"These matters are not determined in Whitehall.
"But I understand the Sunderland and South Tyneside hospital trusts have formed an alliance to...
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