| It was good to get out on the streets again and despite the short notice we had a lively and well supported protest against Serco, one of the many private companies making millions from the Covid Pandemic. |
|
 |
| Campaign Meeting next Tuesday 18th May – ‘the latest threats to our NHS’
It’s our monthly online meeting next Tuesday and we will be discussing the latest threats to our NHS, the plans to close Ealing Hospital’s Breast Service, mental health campaigning and the upcoming Days of Action. |
| Our Guest Speaker is Dr John Puntis, Co-Chair of Keep Our NHS Public and retired Consultant Paediatrician. |
| John will be speaking on the latest threats to our NHS and what we can do to fight back. A major re-organisation with more cuts and privatisation is on the way. We are delighted that John can join us so please come along and take part in the discussion.
You will be very welcome to join in our discussion. |
| Tuesday 18th May, 7.30pm. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO BE SENT THE ZOOM LINK |
|
 |
|
|
| Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) Joint Statement on the Government White Paper – ‘Integration & innovation: working together to improve health and social care for all’
The following short Joint Statement highlights the threats to the NHS that Dr John Puntis will be speaking about next week at our meeting. |
| ‘We call on the Government to halt to the rollout of Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in the English NHS, and the further changes set out in the February 2021 White Paper and NHSE proposals for reform of the payment system. |
| The proposals represent a major re-organisation of the NHS, with far-reaching consequences for patients and staff including |
- increased scope for privatisation and deregulation of the market
- private companies potentially represented on ICS boards and at the heart of NHS management
- lack of transparency, reduced accountability to local authorities and loss of voice for local communities
- unexplored implications for social care
- major potential impacts on staff, including loss of nationally agreed pay, terms and conditions; flexible working across locations and job roles; and professional deregulation
- reduced access to face-to-face appointments and increased reliance on digital apps
- confidential patient data – which has huge commercial value and potential for future misuse – in the hands of multinational corporates
| We demand an extended and meaningful consultation with the public, NHS staff and unions, and Parliament, to decide how health and social care services should be provided in England’. |
|
 |
| Ealing Hospital Breast Care Unit likely to Close!!
The London North West Trust who run Ealing Hospital have drawn up plans to close the Breast Care Units at Ealing Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospital and in favour of one site, at Northwick Park. All the indications are that this is likely to happen unless we campaign to stop it. |
| It is quite staggering that despite the professed commitment to addressing health inequalities by NWL NHS bosses, such a vital service for women could be closed and the resources sent to the more affluent Harrow site, away from more deprived areas and BAME communities. |
| We have heard that this could even have life threatening consequences for some women who may be only comfortable using local culturally sensitive services and are unable or unwilling to travel to Northwick Park. |
| Once upon a time Ealing Hospital had a one stop service for breast care. Women were able to get all their tests, results, treatment and surgery under one roof from the excellent caring staff. Now all that is left at Ealing is a morning and afternoon clinic once a week. There were four clinics just before the Covid pandemic but only two were allowed to re-open! |
| We have heard stories of women in Ealing being sent to Northwick Park for tests, then to have surgery in Central Middlesex Hospital and then back to Ealing for a Clinic – a disgraceful way to treat women under stress.
As the clock is ticking we have written to the NHS Trust, local MPs and GLA member and we hope to get something on the website soon to use on social media. |
| We will keep everyone informed of developments but in the meantime please spread the word. |
|
 |
| Wednesday 19th May at 7.00pm – Profiteering from the Peoples health? |
| This Session will hear about the reliance on and the scale of private contracts during the pandemic, and the level of pre-pandemic outsourcing and privatisation. How did this contribute to the failures in response? It will also hear about legal challenges on behalf of the taxpayer in relation to Covid contracts. And from staff experience, the dangers and anxieties of shortage of PPE and the decisions to outsource contracts. |
| GUEST APPEARANCE (opening the session): |
| Michael Rosen | author, poet, broadcaster and former UK Children’s Laureate |
| Michael Mansfield QC (chair), Professor Neena Modi, Dr. Tolullah Oni, Dr. Jacky Davis |
| Lorna Hackett Barrister (Counsel to the Inquiry) |
| David McCoy, Professor of Global Health Medicine, Institute of Population Health Sciences, QMUL; Centre for Health and the Public Interest |
| Dr David Wrigley, GP in Carnforth, North Lancs, Deputy Chair BMA, co-author ‘NHS for Sale’ and ‘NHS SOS |
| Representative of Foxglove, campaigning against secrecy of coronavirus NHS data contracts |
| Dr Michelle Dawson, NHS Consultant Anaesthetist, trustee Healthcare Workers’ Foundation charity (previously ‘Heroes’) |
|
 |
|
|
| A national Day of Action, has been called on the 73rd NHS anniversary on Saturday 3rd July by ‘Keep Our NHS Public’, ‘Health Campaigns Together’, ‘NHS Workers Say No’ and ‘NHS Staff Voices’. |
| The Pay Review Body will be making its findings public in June which will bring the whole issue of pay, back into the media. The Day of Action will be an opportunity to show maximum solidarity with NHS staff at this time as well as make sure, patient safety, privatisation and of course the government’s woeful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic are clearly in the public eye. We can also highlight the cuts to Ealing Hospital. |
| Ealing Save Our NHS has been asked to organise a local event on the day and we will circulate details a bit nearer the time – hope you can join us. |
| MAY’s Issue of the excellent Bulletin from Health Campaigns Together: |
| The current issue of the Bulletin has some great stories including; The Health Bill & Queen’s Speech; The latest on the ‘Centene’ campaign, A new report from LSE/The Lancet calling for extra NHS funding, an update on waiting lists and NHS beds still closed and Simon Stevens’ departure and one possible successor. |
|
|
|
