THE organisers of last weekend’s march and rally in defence of the children’s and maternity services at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, should be congratulated on a well-conducted and meaningful event.

People in this part of the world don’t take to the streets unless they feel truly passionate about an issue, and there was no question about the depth of the passions expressed last Saturday. If the turnouts at the various public meetings on this issue have sent a mixed message to the trust which runs the hospital, there can be no doubt about the strength of feeling as evidenced by the 2,000-plus people who gathered on a very hot summer’s day to make their point. It would have been so much easier to spend the afternoon in the garden.

The trust and the GPs’ commissioning group dealing with the issue have made encouraging, sympathetic, noises this week about Saturday’s march. The pressure is certainly on them to respond with a modified proposal which maintains more of the children’s and maternity services at the hospital – at least something better than the preferred option in the original paediatricians’ report, which would see all but the most simple of births being dealt with at other hospitals.

The campaigners have done all they can to help the people of North Yorkshire understand what is at stake. Now we wait to hear what the GPs’ group will recommend next month.