By Rich Palser and Patrick Sikorski ANTI-CUTS campaigners in West London scored an important victory last week, when the Faling, Hammersmith and Hounslow Health Authority voted to defy a government instruction to cut £2,126,000 from the Gospital services.
As a result; six hospitals and clinics of a list of 23 items for the chop saved from closure. But the reprieve could well be short lived:
When Lambeth AHA took a similar stand recently, the Tories appolnted nediti cominissioners to dominister the cuts in its place. To avoid a similar fate, the Hounslow authority decided on Wednesday of last week to 'show willing' despite its refusing to tow the government's line. It voted to balance the books' by 1981.
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The "genuine propsed by Vaughan, the Tories' confused by this minister, Dr Vaughan made it clear that the authority must "stick to cash limits'.
Under these proposals, means making cuts in services. "balance the books' inte improving Hounslow other trade at Middlesex to replace them. any shorter by cutting the number of hospital beds. package of cuts would be passed, Carl Brecker from the joint shop stewards committee told the bosses that the unions were refusing to sit down and discuss implementing any cuts - with the AHA or with any commissioners appointed As Carl summed up the situation: 'The first battle has been won, but the war has only just started. This is a national fight against the Tory NEWS OF the Area Health Authority's decision not to implement the Tory cuts was greeted with cheers and applause by those occupying Hounslow Hospital to protest against any cuts. They heard how one AHA member, P Croft who is a member of the Freedom Association, had had the nerve to blame health workers for overspending, suggesting that they fiddle clock cards. He then went on to say that the problem was with bad management — as if better management could make waiting lists really damaging only a national fightback will.' Photo: PETE GRANT "Thatcher doesn't like it when we force an AHA to oppose cuts, because ordinary working people start to think "maybe these cuts are services" Sending in commissioners shows what the Tories think of so called "democratic control" through the AHA. That will not stop the cuts, however —