💗IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN UPDATE: NHS BOARD MEETING POSTPONED - AND WE'RE NEARLY AT 3,000 SIGNATURES!

2,973 signatures. Two meetings with local MPs. And more time to make our voices heard.

I wanted to share an important update regarding the future of maternity, neonatal and women's health services at St Helier Hospital.

Following a telephone conversation with Siobhain McDonagh MP, I've been informed that the NHS Group Board meeting originally scheduled for 6th November at St Helier Hospital has been postponed until 3rd December 2026.

I understand that the Trust does not yet have sufficient information to make an informed decision, particularly regarding the potential impact of the proposals on staff.

This is an encouraging development.

We welcome the additional time for the Trust to gather evidence, properly assess the options and consider the consequences for staff, patients and local families.

However, I want to be clear: this is a postponement, not confirmation that maternity services have been saved.

Our campaign must continue.

🏥 A change of venue raises further questions:
Alongside the postponement, I've also been informed that the Board meeting will now take place at St George's Hospital rather than St Helier.

This is concerning because the proposals directly affect the St Helier community.

Moving the meeting away from our local hospital could make it more difficult for residents, expectant parents and staff to attend and observe discussions about the future of their services.

We will be asking the Trust why the venue has changed and what arrangements will be made to ensure that the people most directly affected can attend or participate.

Meaningful community involvement must remain a priority, regardless of where the meeting takes place.

🤝 Progress following meetings with our local MPs:
Over the past week, I've had the opportunity to meet with Siobhain McDonagh MP and Bobby Dean MP to discuss the future of maternity services at St Helier.

I'm grateful to both for taking the time to listen to our concerns and discuss the challenges facing the hospital.

These conversations have been valuable, but they have also highlighted several important questions that remain unanswered.

We are continuing to seek clarity on:

• Retaining maternity services: Have all safe and viable options for refurbishing St Helier and retaining services on the existing site been fully explored?
• Staff engagement: Are staff being given an equal opportunity to express their views on retaining or relocating services, and will their feedback influence the Board's decision?
• Alternative hospital capacity: Can the hospitals being considered for relocation safely accommodate additional mothers and babies? We want evidence regarding staffing, bed availability, temporary closures and patient transfers.
• Expectant parents: Are women currently booking maternity care at St Helier being properly informed about the proposed changes, and how will they be involved in decisions affecting their care?
• Funding: If refurbishment is technically possible, what funding options could allow essential repairs to take place without permanently losing maternity services?
• Community representation: How can our petition be formally presented to the NHS Board so that the voices of local residents are acknowledged?

These are questions that deserve clear, evidence-based answers before decisions affecting our community are made.

💗 Our campaign remains focused
We recognise that St Helier's ageing infrastructure requires investment and that patient and staff safety must always come first.

But we also believe that decisions about maternity services must consider more than the condition of the building.

They must consider the impact on expectant mothers, babies, families, staff, emergency access and the capacity of neighbouring hospitals.

Our campaign is not about ignoring the problems with St Helier's infrastructure. It's about ensuring every safe and viable option for keeping maternity services at St Helier is properly explored before relocation is accepted as necessary.

This remains an independent, community-led campaign, and I am committed to working constructively with representatives from all political parties to ensure our concerns are heard.

📢 2,973 SIGNATURES — JUST 27 AWAY FROM 3,000!
In just a matter of weeks, almost 3,000 people have come together to support the future of maternity services at St Helier.

What started as one concerned local resident speaking up has grown into a community of thousands demanding transparency, accountability and accessible maternity care.

Your signatures are helping us raise these concerns directly with MPs and NHS representatives.

And now, with the Board meeting postponed until December, we have additional time to keep asking questions, gathering support and ensuring that our community's voice is represented.

What happens next?
I will continue following up with the NHS Trust and our local representatives to seek answers to the outstanding questions.

I will also be requesting clarification about the revised Board meeting arrangements, public accessibility and how our petition can be formally submitted.

I'll keep you updated as further information becomes available.

💗 WE'RE SO CLOSE TO 3,000 SIGNATURES!

Please continue sharing this petition with friends, family, colleagues and local community groups.

Every signature matters.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign so far. Your encouragement, messages and determination mean so much.

This is not the end of our campaign. We have more time - and we're going to make it count.

Our community. Our maternity services. Our voices. 💗