A ROSE is a ROSE is a ROSE (Gertrude Stein, 1935): Part 1
This is the first of two articles about ROSE, why it was born and what its aims are. In part two I will reveal some of the issues that went on behind the scenes during the closure of the post office, pharmacy and GP branch surgery.
Some of you will know by now that a small local action group Retain Our Services in Evington (ROSE) has been operating since the beginning of the year. It was set up in reaction the closures of the Evington Village post office, pharmacy and GP Branch surgery. The shock of having all three services denuded from the village despite consultation, although lacking in credibility, that clearly showed the closures were unpopular and not supported by the majority who responded. This left some of us incredulous and angry. We felt democracy had been circumvented and the changes pushed through. Some of us acted and wrote to the Post Office, Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the City Council, made formal complaints, wrote to our MPs, made Freedom of Information requests and even took out a formal complaint with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. But largely we were working alone and not in concert. I was fortunate enough to link with our very hard-working Councillor Zuffar Huq who was able to find out a lot more than I in his official capacity. The more we learned the more we became incensed. Zuffar was able to talk to colleagues in senior positions in both the City Council and the Integrated Care Board (The ICB is responsible for the commissioning of GP and pharmacy services), and interestingly to Dr Wood, the owner of the branch surgery at 10 The Common.
It was frustrating to think that there were many more people in Evington who felt as strongly as we did but we had no way to contact them or to try to get together as a group to fight these ill-considered and morally reprehensible decisions. Our only tool was to publish information in the Evington Echo Online, however that did not produce the traction we were seeking.
The purpose of the ROSE group is to advocate on behalf of the residents of Evington Village and surrounding areas for better services, working towards the reestablishment of a GP service, a pharmacy service and a postal/banking service to Evington Village to benefit residents, those living in surrounding areas and local businesses, to raise awareness of the impact of the loss of services to Evington Village, surrounding areas and local businesses, and the need to re-establish them. In addition, the setting up of activities that will benefit the people of Evington Village, neighbouring areas and local businesses, while respecting the work of existing local charities and not for profit groups.
Finally, we hope to be a communication hub for the people of Evington, a place where ordinary residents share information so that we are better informed than many of us were during the December 2004 closures. Being informed helps democracy and perhaps encourages people not to lose hope, to stand up for what they believe in, and to challenge those in positions of power over us when necessary.
Organising a local community group is not an easy or straight forward task. Many people simply cannot be bothered, being too busy with their lives, some feel they are helpless at the hands of those who control such matters, and yet others although willing to stand up and be heard, don’t know where to begin.
I recently spoke to a customer in the Cedars who had previously said they would join ROSE, they said they had changed their mind because once a service has been lost you cannot get it back. I challenged this mentality and asked them if they were aware that three separate GP practices had come forward and registered an interest in setting up a surgery in Evington but had been prevented from taking over 10 The Common by the ICB. Said customer was not aware of this and undertook to now respond to my invitation to join. Watch this space.
