Maldon: Women strip in protest over threat to St Peter's

Women members of Save Maldon’s Medical Services shed their clothes but covered their modesty with placards spelling out their message.

It reads: "How dare you strip us bare of medical services. We need our St Peter's to remain over forever."

The Save Maldon’s Medical Services group has been an outspoken voice during the consultation period, including holding a 'Shine a Light' event outside the hospital building.

But following a public consultation with Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board, the group have said they believe the ICB’s intention is “to strip Maldon bare of its medical services”.

The group has also shared a video outlining their views on the issue.

A spokesman said: “Our campaign has always been to support the entire Maldon district. 

“To ask the questions of the ICB in this public consultation on their behalf and work to secure like-for-like medical services in the Maldon district. 

“The ideal site for this is St Peter's itself. It has the space, best location and all the services operational already. 

Campaign - Save Maldon's Medical Services (Image: Save Maldon's Medical Services)

“As a group we have attended and presented at last week's public meeting and also submitted written evidence.”

The spokesman said Save Maldon’s Medical Services has been active in the community helping residents access the consultation survey by distributing paper copies.

This includes in the high street, supermarkets, across the Dengie, care homes and sheltered housing - targeting people who otherwise would not have been able to access the survey online.

They added: “We also galvanised the community with a peaceful vigil at St Peter's last weekend as a mark of respect for those staff working at the site who are uncertain of what will happen with their jobs . 

“Our statement in this video is very clear. 

“Many of the services at St Peter's have been closed by stealth over the last year, ahead of any decision in this consultation. 

Drone - Aerial view of the vigil (Image: Christopher Cook)

“The community beds have already been closed, clinics reduced and district nursing has already been informed they are leaving the area. 

“There is huge amounts of misinformation being banded about such as Legionnaires disease, unsafe floors etc which are all not true, so we have taken action. 

“We consider the ICB have stripped the services in Maldon bare. 

“They are offering a medical desert to the most rural community and unreasonable expectations for those patients to travel six to seven hours on public transport to receive their care.”