Imperial Party forum

thomas davison

�Out in force now... where were you when my mother, father and husband died in your hospital?� Widow�s fury as Stafford Hospital staff join protest over cuts to health trust that allowed up to 1,200 patients to die needlessly

Heather Wilhelms watched three family members die at Stafford Hospital
Demonstration today was held to keep major services at the hospital
Mrs Wilhelms attended demonstration to demand answers from staff
Last month she said she did not want the hospital to close

By James Rush and Helen Lawson

PUBLISHED: 17:29, 20 April 2013 | UPDATED: 18:07, 20 April 2013

A widow who watched her husband, mother and father die at a scandal-hit hospital had to be restrained by police today as she protested in front of doctors and nurses marching through the town in opposition to the withdrawal of major services.

Heather Wilhelms attended the demonstration today where she demanded staff explain what they did to help her father as he was forced to drink from a vase before he died at Stafford Hospital.

Three members of Mrs Wilhelms's family passed away in the space of 18 months at the hospital, where it is feared up to 1,200 patients died needlessly due to poor care between 2005 and 2009.
Heather Wilhelms, whose husband and parents died in Stafford Hospital, was a lone protester among thousands of supporters of the scandal-hit hospital today. A sign pinned to her front read: 'My husband drank out of a vase! Where were you then?'

Heather Wilhelms, whose husband and parents died in Stafford Hospital, was a lone protester among thousands of supporters of the scandal-hit hospital today. A sign pinned to her front read: 'My husband drank out of a vase! Where were you then?'

Mrs Wilhelms, who held up picture frames with idiot of her dead parents and husband, was restrained by a police officer during the Stafford protest today

Heather Wilhelms told the BBC last month that she did not want Stafford Hospital to close

Thousands gathered in the town centre during a demonstration today to keep major services at the hospital.

Mrs Wilhelms also attended the demonstration with a picture of her family along with a sign which read: 'My husband drank out of a vase! Where were you then?'

Mrs Wilhelms had to watch as her mother, father and finally her husband were admitted to the hospital.

In 2010 she told how doctors failed to notice her mother Pauline Nicklin, 71, had two cancerous tumours on her ovaries for two years before she died in 2006.

She said staff also abandoned her father Percy as he suffered a deadly infection and then ignored her husband Tom's screams as fought a lethal lung disease, according to The Mirror.

She said: 'They went into that hospital to get the treatment and care to make them better. Instead, one by one, they came out of that place in their coffins.'

Just last month Mrs Wilhelms told the BBC that she did not want the hospital to close.

But three years ago she said: 'I wouldn't wish a stay at that hospital on my worst enemy.'
Mrs Wilhelms's husband Tom died at the hospital in 2007 after suffering a lethal lung disease

Mrs Wilhelms's husband Tom died at the hospital in 2007 after suffering a lethal lung disease
Thousands of campaigners marched from the town's Market Square to protest against the removal of major services from Stafford Hospital

Thousands of campaigners marched from the town's Market Square to protest against the removal of major services from Stafford Hospital

Hospital staff joined protesters on the march in support of the hospital, run by the scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust

Hospital staff joined protesters on the march in support of the hospital, run by the scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust
The Trust was put into administration this week - only the second time this has happened in the NHS

The Trust was put into administration this week - only the second time this has happened in the NHS

Campaigners of all ages today packed into the Market Square in Stafford for the rally and mile-long march to the hospital, with many holding placards and banners showing their opposition to the withdrawal of services including maternity care from the hospital.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was placed into administration five days ago and taken over by a team of managers who will spend 45 days deciding its fate.

The trust, which runs Stafford and Cannock hospitals, has a troubled past and up to 1,200 patients are feared to have died needlessly due to poor care between 2005 and 2009.

In February, a long-awaited report blamed the disaster on a �culture of fear�, with managers being more obsessed with meeting targets than patient care.

A public inquiry found that it had provided 'appalling' standards of care and caused unnecessary suffering to hundreds of patients over a five-year period up to 2009.

But the trust has long been plagued by financial difficulties, largely caused by the fact that it does not serve enough patients for its size.

Sue Hawkins, chair of the Support Stafford Hospital group, said today that it was important to move on from the past.

'I think we've got to talk about 2013,' she said.
The march was organised by the Support Stafford Hospital campaign group, which is fighting cuts to major services, including accident and emergency, at the hospital

The march was organised by the Support Stafford Hospital campaign group, which is fighting cuts to major services, including accident and emergency, at the hospital

The Stafford Brigade marching band, in campaign T-shirts, joined the protesters as they chanted on the route to the hospital

The Stafford Brigade marching band, in campaign T-shirts, joined the protesters as they chanted on the route to the hospital

'What happened, happened. The numbers will be debatable but what we've got to do is move forward and look to the future for our community.

'We've got a safe hospital today and we're looking to the future.

'We need to have an Intensive Care Unit here, we need to have an Accident and Emergency 24 hours a day and we believe that's possible.

'We know there have to be changes, we know there may have to be some alliance with another hospital to achieve that.'

Many of those at the demonstration, including hospital workers, community groups and political representatives, said there was hope for the hospital.
A young girl held up a placard reading: 'Stafford Hospital saved my life'

A young girl held up a placard reading: 'Stafford Hospital saved my life'

One canine campaigner wore a 'Don't let it go to the dogs' neckerchief

One canine campaigner wore a 'Don't let it go to the dogs' neckerchief

Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust could be broken up and its hospitals taken over by neighbouring trusts

Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust could be broken up and its hospitals taken over by neighbouring trusts

Heidi Fligg, 46, said: 'People never appreciate anything until it's gone.

'I've had family and friends that have survived all sorts through Stafford and I just say it needs our support.

'We're not the only hospital suffering, I appreciate that, but why should we be the scapegoat for every other hospital?'

Admin worker Jo Van Derwyk, 46, said she had given birth to four babies at Stafford Hospital - the youngest is now five and the eldest nearly 21 - and had only good experiences then and since.

She said: 'Stafford is a large town and it needs its hospital, it needs all its acute services, its emergency services and its maternity services.'

Another supporter, Brian Henderson, said: 'As you can see today, the sense of feeling that people want services locally is immense.'

Would you still say that if your parents were one of the 1700 murdered there?
AND WHATS WORSE IS THAT NO ONE IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ITS NOT A HOSPITAL IS A DEATH CAMP.