Speak out for St Margaret's Hospice

Published 3 Mar 2010 13:00

AS you may or may not know there is to be a parliamentary debate [5pm Thursday March 11] at The Scottish Parliament on the subject of St Margaret of Scotland Hospice and the conduct of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, called for by the ever supportive MSP for Clydebank, Des McNulty.

I must stress that my campaign is not about keeping the hospice open in preference to a re-build of Blawarthill Hospital, that has never been the case - we need both.

If the health board is correct in that the dying and frail elderly with complex medical needs really prefer to stay at home and not go into hospital or a hospice, then it must show this proof.

I agree many people do ask to remain at home, but thousands would prefer seven-days-a-week, 24-hour palliative care.

Are we a society which would deny that to our terminally ill relatives or friends? I think not.

Some MSPs have said they have only heard from as little as 20 constituents about their concerns regarding St Margaret's Hospice, which personally I find very strange considering I have now over 130,000 signatories to my petition.

So I would personally make a plea to each and every reader if you live in G3, G4, G11, G12, G13, G14, G15, parts of G20, majority of East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, parts of Argyll and Bute, would you please consider writing urgently to your MSP and asking them if they intend to be present at this debate and also what they intend to say.

One last thing, if you do decide to write to your MSP, do you think you could send me a copy either by email to marjoriemccance@live.co.uk or marked as private and confidential to myself at the hospice or via this newspaper? The reason for asking for copies is to ensure that when MSPs say they have only this or that amount of enquiries, I can say well actually I know of at least X amount that were sent on this subject and then hold them to account.

MSPs who I believe cover the catchment are Des McNulty, Bill Butler, Jackson Carlaw, Ross Finnie, Annabel Goldie, Stewart Maxwell, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Bill Wilson, Bill Aitken, Robert Brown, Bob Doris, Patrick Harvie, Bill Kidd, Anne McLaughlin, Sandra White, and David Whitton.

Marjorie McCance, campaign manager and hospice volunteer

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This letter appeared in Clydebank Post 03 Mar 10

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