As the fence goes up around specialist mental health hospital the Henderson the NHS plans its largest ever public consultation - involving 62 primary care trusts.

Recent changes to the Government's commissioning process means that referrals to the therapeutic community have been dwindling. It has had to close temporarily and it is uncertain whether it will reopen. A public consultation is being draughted to assess the effect of the closure on the country's health service.

But a campaign group made up of staff, ex-residents and MPs has stepped up its efforts to urge the Government to rethink.

At a meeting last week, which was supposed to be a press conference until South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust ruled that no media be allowed on its premises, the group decided to approach Labour ministers in order to garner cross-party support for the campaign.

"It was good to hear that the ministers were willing to work cross-party to save the hospital," said Henderson consultant Dr Diana Menzies. The campaign already has the support of Liberal Democrat MPs Tom Brake, Paul Burstow and Norman Lamb, as well as Conservative MP Anne Milton and parliamentary candidate Philippa Stroud.

Henderson campaigner and ex-resident Leila Ruttley said that "We really want to fight for this. What really stuck with me about the meeting was that we had people who were residents 50 years ago there next to those who had left five weeks ago. We have some powerful testimones from ex-residents which we are hoping to use in some constructive way. ,"

One such testimony comes from Gary McKnight who claims he would not be alive today it was not for the Henderson.

"Before I went my consultants thought my personality disorder was incurable. They had me on so much medication I was like a zombie, I was five stones heavier than I am now and I was constantly trying to commit suicide. The Henderson took me off medication and taught me how to deal with my disorder. I feel terrible for all the people out there who won't be able to get treatment here," he said.

See tc-of.org.uk for more information about the campaign.