THE campaign to save Trafford General has stepped up a notch, with three of its key campaigners standing for election as Governors of the Central Manchester Trust.


Matthew Finnegan, chair of the Save Trafford General community group, George Devlin and David Fernandez, are all running in this month’s election, with all three issuing the same election statement.


They have pledged to fight to keep accident and emergency, intensive care, children’s services and emergency surgery open at Trafford General.


Matthew Finnegan said: “We are committed to fighting to maintain services at Trafford General and doing all we can to halt the downgrading of our local hospital.


“We are standing for election to hold Trust bosses to account and to make sure the voice of local people is heard loud and clear by Central Manchester.


“We want to open up the Trust to local people and make it more democratic and accountable.”


The move is said to have taken health bosses by surprise, with the three vacant Governor places originally planned to go to their own supporters, without any need for an election.


Hoping to give patients of Trafford a strong voice on such issues, the campaign trio is now hoping more members of the Trafford public will be encouraged to become members of the Trust and held shape their NHS services.


A spokesperson for Central Manchester Trust said it would be inappropriate to comment on individuals standing for election as they are an “ongoing democratic process subject to Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts”.


To read the election statement or, for more information on the Save Trafford General campaign, visit safetraffordgeneral.com