Labour members will be in Rugby’s streets from 10.00am – 1.00pm on Saturday 26 November asking people to sign a petition calling on University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust to reverse its decision to close Birch Ward at the Hospital of St Cross and confirm the hospital’s long-term future.

• Rugby Labour Party calls on University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust to reverse its planned closure of Birch Ward at the Hospital of St Cross from 30 November.
• The closure of this ward and the way its services will be provided in the future will have a detrimental impact on the local community and those users of the services provided by Birch Ward, particularly the elderly and those reliant on social care.
• The closure may well comprise the future viability of the St Cross hospital and ultimately lead to its closure. Rugby’s Labour councillors have taken the lead by demanding that the Chief Executive of UHCW carries out a full consultation on any changes to services in Rugby and also have called for a special meeting of Rugby Borough Council.