A PETITION is being organised to protest against Bromley Hospitals' NHS Trust's decision to move a planned surgery unit.

The trust announced it was to close three operating theatres and two wards at Orpington Treatment Centre and move planned surgery to the Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough.

Patients and residents across the borough have voiced their unhappiness with the decision in an ongoing petition of currently 1,600 signatures.

The £8.8m surgery unit was opened in 2003 and will be shut because it will save the trust, which has a historic debt of £99m, £1m a year.

It provides general and oral surgery and orthopaedic treatment, with services moving to the Princess Royal in late autumn.

Protesters have been signing the petition, led by Julie Mott, a 61-year-old line dance teacher, who had a hip replacement operation at the treatment centre in June.

Mrs Mott of Red Cedars Road, Orpington, said: "We have got a state of the art surgery at Orpington that opened four years ago at a cost of nearly £9m.

"It's running beautifully, they have got no bugs there and they are full.

"I have nothing but praise for the staff and care you get there, and for the facilities and fact you can get into hospital and know you are going for major surgery and not come out with anything else."

There have been 21 cases of C diff infections, with 10 recorded in June, and three cases of MRSA at the Princess Royal so far this year.

Mrs Mott and fellow protesters have been around the borough gathering signatures.

The mother of two and grandmother of three said: "If they discover there's enough disquiet in residents of the borough can they reverse the decision?

"As soon as I discovered what was going to happen, I wasn't going to just sit down and accept it.

"We need to do something about it."

Bromley Hospitals' NHS Trust was not available for immediate comment.

  • To add your signature to Mrs Mott's petition call 01689 876940 or e-mail julie.mott@ntlworld.com