Pat Regan: ABOUT TIME TOO – CARES OVERJOYED AT RETURN OF SOUTHPORT HOSPITAL SERVICES

STATEMENT FROM CARES (COALITION AGAINST REMOVAL OF KIDS EMERGENCY & OTHER SERVICES)

Above: CARES Co-Chairs Cath Regan (left) Ange Creed.(right).

Ange Creed (Weatherby) and Cath Regan, former co-chairs of the original CARES campaign, are overjoyed at the announcement that children’s emergency services are finally returning to Southport — 23 years after we first sounded the alarm in 2003.

It was the ‘Southport Party’ who set up CARES originally.

“We marched with an estimated 4,000 people in August 2003. We delivered 18,500 signatures to Downing Street in February 2004. And for two decades, we never stopped asking: Why must our children travel miles for emergency care?”

Twenty-three years of Southport being deprived of children’s A&E services — services originally removed by health authorities under the then Labour government. Despite promises from the Conservative Party upon entering power that they would reinstate these vital services, nothing changed.

We remember the years of tears, abuse, sleepless nights, and the countless meetings held and attended — all while data, evidence, and community concern were ignored by health leaders and politicians.

We are grateful to those who stood with us throughout the years, to name just a few: Pat & Kyle Regan, Mark Bigley, John Price, Brenda & Ken Porter, Margaret Brown, Terry Durrance, John Lee, Barry & Norma Griffiths, Anne & David Cobham, and the Southport Party.

“We remember the pain, the frustration, and the relentless fight. Today, justice is not just promised — it’s arriving. Let’s ensure this transition is swift, safe, and fully resourced for every child who needs it.”

We now ask: What has changed after 23 years that the powers that be have decided to return these services? We welcome this long-overdue reversal — but we will not rest until every child in Southport has safe, timely, and equitable access to emergency care.

We are fully aware that this change may cause concern and frustration for families in the Ormskirk catchment area, and we sincerely acknowledge their feelings. However, we understand that the new children’s emergency unit returning to Southport will operate 24/7 — a level of service not previously available locally — which will ultimately improve access and response times for all families across the region, including those in Ormskirk who may benefit from reduced pressure on their local services.