They asked 7,840 of us. Then they ignored the answer.
Keeping the children's A&E at Ormskirk was the most popular option in the NHS's own consultation. The committee chose Southport anyway. Here's why that matters.
There is a word for asking people what they think and then doing the opposite. It is not 'consultation'.
Between July and October 2025, the NHS ran a 13-week public consultation on the future of children's emergency care in our area. More than 7,840 people responded. Keeping the children's A&E at Ormskirk was the most popular option.
On 13 March 2026, a joint committee voted to move it to Southport anyway — 8 miles away, at a cost of £33 million, over a minimum of three years.
The decision was baked in before we were asked
Here is the part that should trouble anyone who believes in fair process. The NHS had already named Southport as its 'preferred option' before the consultation opened. Keeping both sites was ruled out before a single member of the public could respond. Many people told their councillors it felt like a done deal — because it was.
Every party agreed this was wrong
This is not a party-political point, and we will not let anyone make it one. In late March 2026, Lancashire County Council's health scrutiny committee voted unanimously — every party — to ask the Health Secretary to call the decision in. West Lancashire's MP asked for it to be reversed too.
That request has never been answered.
What you can do
The next Health Secretary still has the legal power to call this in and think again. The bigger our petition, the harder we are to ignore a second time.
We were asked. We answered. We are still being ignored. Add your name — and let's change that.
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