Campaigners holding posters to show their support to save St Leonard’s Hospital, 1983. (C) Neil Martinson. Hackney Museum 2024.167
Hackney Health Emergency was a successful people-led campaign to save St Leonard’s Hospital, Hoxton from closure. The campaign and hospital occupation that was staged by its workers and local residents between 1983-1984 was a key moment for local healthcare.
Why was there a campaign to save St Leonard’s Hospital?
In December 1982 the Hackney District Health Authority announced a plan to close five Hackney hospitals and replace them with a newly built Homerton Hospital. Each of the five hospitals provided specialist care functions and the new hospital planned to offer all of these services, but it would not open until 1986, after the existing hospitals were closed. This would mean the loss of 170 beds, 330 jobs and the borough’s Accident and Emergency service until the proposed new hospital opened.
Similar reforms to local National Health Service (NHS) provisions were planned across the country. Local people and staff feared the closures would mean poor access to essential healthcare services, especially emergency care. Hospital staff were also concerned about planned redundancies, because of NHS budget cuts taking place at the same time.
The Planned Hospital Closures
- Eastern Hospital – opened in 1870 on the site of today’s Homerton Hospital. for infectious diseases. 287 beds, mainly for the rehabilitation of elderly neurological patients.
- St John’s Hospital for Diseases of the Skin – also on the site of today’s Homerton Hospital. In 1952 it expanded into a disused wing of the Eastern Hospital where it had 110 beds.
- St Leonard’s Hospital – established in 1777, but was rebuilt many times. The oldest part is from the 1860s-1880s.
- The German Hospital – set-up in 1845 to serve the large German speaking community in East London. Now private housing.
- The Mothers’ Hospital – opened in 1913 by the Salvation Army and at its peak in 1935 this maternity hospital had 90 beds. Now private housing.
What was Hackney Health Emergency?
Hackney Health Emergency formed in January 1983 at the Hackney Trades Council building in Dalston Lane, in response to these circumstances. It was a campaign group that united Hackney Council, local trade unions, residents and those against the proposed changes to challenge the decision. It quickly won the support of local MPs and councillors of all parties. Its aim was to prevent St Leonard’s Hospital from closing. Closure would mean residents would have to travel to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London until the new Homerton Hospital opened in 1986.
Hackney Health Emergency’s main aims were to stop the closure of St Leonard’s Hospital, ensure local people had adequate healthcare including emergency care, and that hospital staff jobs were protected.
Collective Campaigning
Thousands of people took action by signing petitions, marching, attending both public meetings and meetings of the District Health Authority Board. People contributed money to support the campaign and local benefit concerts actively raised funds for it too. Many of the musicians performing felt strongly about local health care and wanted to show their support for the campaign.
Support for the campaign was widespread across the borough. As a show of solidarity, lines of cars drove past the hospitals that were marked for closure. Many people made and brought their own signs and campaign materials to gatherings. There were regular protests and demonstrations to try to save St Leonard’s Hospital in particular from closing.
A Torchlit Turning Point
A torch lit vigil was organised for 19 December 1983. Campaigners met outside St Leonard’s Hospital and marched to Addison House in Shoreditch where a crucial local District Health Authority meeting was taking place which would decide the future of healthcare in the City of London and Hackney.
Most of the District Health Authority’s members were appointed by the Regional Health Authority, and three were appointed by Hackney Council. They decided to close St Leonard’s Hospital, The Mothers’ Hospital and the German Hospital in Hackney, and St Matthew’s Hospital in Islington.
“We shall consider an occupation of St Leonard’s.”
Malcolm Alexander, one of the founders of Hackney Health Emergency, in response to the District Health Authority’s decision.
The Occupation
The trade union representing staff at St Leonard’s Hospital and Hackney Health Emergency took over running the hospital for 12 days between 3-16 July 1984. They prevented administrators entering the hospital to remove patients and close the hospital. All 200 staff caring for patients were encouraged to work as normal. The hospital occupation ended after law enforcement authorities entered the premises and the site was repossessed through a High Court order.
The District Health Authority agreed that outpatient clinics and community services would remain at St Leonard’s but all Accident and Emergency services and beds would be transferred to St Bartholomew’s Hospital until the new Homerton Hospital opened.
On Wednesday 1 August 1984 the last 15 patients were moved to St Bartholomew’s Hospital. The campaign and occupation in 1983-1984 to save St Leonard’s Hospital succeeded in saving the building and converting it to provide community healthcare.
The hospital was closed and converted into a community facility. A new purpose-built home for frail elderly people was completed in 1987 (Mary Seacole House) and services provided at St Leonard’s included chiropody, physiotherapy, X-ray, dietetics, sickle cell information centre, pharmacy, phlebotomy and mental health support amongst others.
Content for this blog featured in the exhibition ‘1980s People Power: The Campaign to Save St Leonard’s Hospital’ at Hackney Museum 21 March – 15 July 2023. The exhibition was co-created with Malcolm Alexander and Louise Whittles, two of the founding members of Hackney Health Emergency.