Rugby Labour Party continue their high-profile campaign against the decision by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust to close the popular ward.

Labour members will be back in Rugby town centre on Saturday 10 December inviting all concerned Rugby residents to add their voices and signatures to the petition calling on UHCW Chief Executive Andy Hardy to publicly guarantee the future viability of the much-loved local hospital and reverse his decision to close Birch Ward.

The party’s decision to continue its campaign on behalf of the Rugby community follows the huge levels of support for the ward and St Cross hospital which Labour members witnessed as they collected over 1,000 signatures in just three hours.

Local Labour member John Slinger said:

“The strength of feeling we witnessed on the streets was clear – Rugby’s community greatly value the services provided by St Cross and are deeply concerned about the closure of Birch Ward. Despite assurances from the Trust about services, we share the community’s deep-set worry that the closure of Birch Ward threatens the long-term future of services provided at St Cross. People told us of the fantastic care they and their families have received on the ward over the years and their worry that vulnerable and older people will struggle with transport if services are transferred to Walsgrave.

“These and other reasons, such as the rapid growth of Rugby’s population, mean that Labour will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the community in defending their local NHS services. We’ll soon be delivering our petition to the NHS Trust, to make sure there can be no doubt in their minds that Rugby’s community will fight to protect its hospital.”

The campaigning will start at or around the Clock Tower at 10.00am on Saturday 10 December, 2011.

The petition reads:

“We the undersigned wish to protect the future of St. Cross Hospital and the services it provides to the local community. We condemn the decision of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust to close Birch Ward at the Hospital of St. Cross and petition that this decision be reversed and the long-term future of the hospital be unconditionally confirmed.”

The petition can be signed online here: Protect St Cross Hospital.