Birch Tree fight goes on, despite ill health
CARING dad Bill Butt is to take his fight with health chiefs all the way to court, despite undergoing emergency heart surgery this week.
Bill and his wife, Jeanette, have pledged to do all they can to save their daughter's Lynn care home from closure – despite the toll it is taking on their health.
Last Wednesday carers met with health officials to discuss the proposed closure of residential bungalows at Birch Tree Close, which care for adults with learning difficulties.
The couple felt they were given no opportunity to express their views and left early after Mr Butt (59) suffered an angina attack.
Just hours later he was referred to Lynn's Queen Elizabeth hospital with chest pains.
He was later transferred to the critical care unit and on Tuesday Mr Butt was moved to Papworth Hospital where he underwent a heart operation to insert a stent into his artery.
Mrs Butt (64) said: "Bill was waiting for the operation, but the stress of everything brought it on. We were very frightened."
The couple, of Low Road, Congham, are pursuing a judicial review case against Norfolk Primary Care Trust over its plans to follow to the letter a Government policy scrapping all NHS "campus accommodation" by 2010.
They fear the closure of the residential bungalows at Birch Tree Close will damage their 43-year-old daughter Tracey's health and have vowed to do whatever it takes to protect her.
Mrs Butt said they had refused to let his condition hinder the campaign, which had remained at the forefront of his mind throughout his illness, and they had decided to move forward with the case after previous letters from their solicitor to the PCT requesting further information were ignored.
Yesterday, the day after Mr Butt's release from hospital, the couple were due to meet with Mencap West Norfolk to also get the ball rolling on a petition to lobby the Government.
The couple's solicitor, Michael Ward, of Lynn's Hawkins solicitors, said the closure appeared to be "a device either to make or to save money."
"The NHS Trust keep quoting central Government as being responsible for the closure and we keep asking them to show us what it is they have from the Government telling them this is what they have to do. Just because the Government says you have to do something doesn't mean you have to do it," he said.
Mr Ward added: "If they have to move out they will be scattered around the town and it's not going to be easy for them to congregate at Birch Tree Close or use the facilities there.
"The supposed benefits are not explained properly anywhere and it just seems like a detrimental step. We have given the PCT every opportunity of saying what advantages, if any, there will be, but it takes refuge behind glib phrases."
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Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
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