Monday 21st January
Archbishop Desmond Tutu calls plans to close Lewisham Hospital “scandalous”
Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu has become the latest high profile supporter of the “Save Lewisham Hospital” campaign.
Malcolm Hancock, Chaplain of Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust, said:
“Desmond Tutu used to live locally, and he opened the Riverside building at Lewisham Hospital – which provides modern inpatient facilities – in 2007.
Given his links to the hospital, I contacted him to let him know about the proposals to close the full A&E and maternity services at Lewisham, which is a high performing and financially solvent NHS Trust.”
“Although Desmond Tutu is currently on an educational world voyage, he responded straight away and asked for his name to be added to the petition against the proposals.  He said that he stands foursquare behind the petitioners, and described the plans to close down vital services as ‘scandalous’.  He said that he hoped that good sense will prevail.”

 Malcolm Hancock added that the campaign against the closure of services at Lewisham had the support of faith leaders across the borough:
“Everyone I have spoken to opposes these plans.  There simply is no reason to close vital services for a population where the local population has high health needs.”