Good morning to you all, and thank you so very much. We recently reached 5,000 signatures. An amazing number to have reached in just a few days – but we are already well past that and heading for the next milestone of 10,000 signatures. Our petition has been viewed 23,697 times on Change.org and shared over 3,000 times. What an amazing group of people you are! Added to that is the tremendous support we are getting on Twitter and Facebook.
And it is beginning to make a difference. Government ministers are meeting with senior civil servants to look at Mildmay’s predicament and we are waiting to see what that means for us.
Our MP, Rushana Ali, who represents Bethnal Green and Bow, has submitted for an adjournment and Westminster Hall debate in the Commons on this issue, which would take place between 10 and 17 of March. She has also submitted some Parliamentary questions, which should be answered by the relevant minister by early next week.
We are delighted to say that we have the support of MPs from both sides of the House of Commons. We are also getting messages of support from NHS clinicians throughout the UK, as well as from other charities, activists, journalists and thousands of ordinary people who realise how vital it is to #SaveMildmay as a unique, specialist centre, providing specialist care and rehabilitation for people with HIV/AIDS, and that there is nothing else to replace it.
So, we need to keep going, as things are still very far from certain and we are still under threat of closure by March 31 if nothing is done.
The photograph shows one of our fully-equipped wards. IT IS COMPLETELY EMPTY. Even though there are patients stuck in NHS hospitals who are desperate for our help and have been referred by their doctors. They won’t be transferred to us because funding is being blocked by NHS Commissioners who do not have enough money to cover all of the services that they provide.
Because Mildmay Hospital is a charity providing NHS services and not part of the NHS, we are easier to cut than other services.
We will keep fighting and asking for the support of the public. Thank you so much for doing your bit, It really means so very much. Please keep talking about us and sharing on social media. We will continue to keep you posted.
Thank you from all of us at Mildmay
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