Shas Sheehan said the plans are misguided
Parliamentary Spokesperson for Wimbledon Shas Sheehan is campaigning to prevent the closure of local hospitals and day centres that fight dementia.
The Liberal Democrat has set up stalls across Merton and a petition asking for signatures to prevent the closures.
Ms Sheehan, who was the parliamentary candidate for Wimbledon in 2010, is encouraging those who sign the petition to write a letter to the South West London Clinical Commissioning Group who have the final decision on what receives funding.
“We will fight it as hard as we can,” she said.
One such closure is Cumberland Day Centre, opened in 1996 by the wife of Prime Minister Harold Wilson, Lady Mary Wilson.
The centre, in Whitford Gardens, Mitcham, is designed to help people with dementia through reminiscence materials and a multisensory room.
Ms Sheehan said that the suggestion that local hospitals and day centres should be closed because of low use is something the people of Merton would strongly disagree with, and that doing so would be providing a poor service to residents across the borough.
She added: “The real issue is they haven’t put in place any other alternatives.”
With the closures, there could be an overspill of patients on to other hospitals, which could lead to longer waiting times, poorer service and a more strained working environment for staff.
Ms Sheehan believes these centres provide valuable service to less physically able elderly residents who would otherwise be confined to their homes.
She also feels that day centres help alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness, as well as providing respite for those caring for loved ones.
Photo courtesy of by Mark Pack, with thanks.
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