The MP for Sutton and Cheam has issued ten things you can do to save St Helier Hospital.

After a packed out meeting last night at Carshalton Boys Sports College, Paul Burstow, is encouraging people to take action against the Better Services Better Value review threatening St Helier’s A&E and maternity.

He said: "BSBV is so full of holes if it were a boat it would have sunk long ago. The public meeting exposed yet more flaws in this discredited process.

"For example, BSBV don't have any idea how many nurses and other non doctor healthcare professionals they will need to deliver their plans."

Ten things you can do to save St Helier Hospital

1. Write to your GP. From April this year GPs will make all the important decisions about our local NHS including the future of St Helier. Tell them you are against closing services at St Helier and ask them to write to NHS SW London to say they oppose the closures too. Ask them to send you a copy of the letter they write and any answer they receive. Then send these to the Save St Helier campaign at http://paulburstow.org.uk

2. Join your GP’s Patient Participation Group. These help doctors decide how to offer the best healthcare for patients. They hold discussions at regular meetings about health issues. Every GP practice has one.

3. Contact your council’s chair of scrutiny. If the NHS agrees to close services at St Helier there is only one way to stop it. The council’s scrutiny committee can “call in” the decision forcing the Government to reconsider. In Sutton it is councillor Mary Burstow: scrutiny@sutton.gov.uk

4. Be our eyes and ears. Often the best information comes from patients, visitors and staff e.g. maternity departments closing their doors because they are so busy.

5. Use St Helier. There’s a risk that patients and staff will go elsewhere because the hospital is under threat. If they do it could make the financial situation at St Helier even worse.

6. Sign the Save St Helier petition.

7. Distribute copies of the Save St Helier petition. Ask you local newsagent or hairdresser if they will put it on display for their customers to sign too.

8. Write to your local paper. You can also phone your local radio station and share your views on Twitter or Facebook. Tell them why you want to Save St Helier.

9. Volunteer to deliver Save St Helier leaflets. Call David on 020 8642 4852 or e-mail Paul Burstow at paul@paulburstow.org.uk.

10. Make sure Paul Burstow’s office have your contact details. It helps them to organise future events. Send mobile numbers and e-mail addresses to paul@paulburstow.org.uk