The date has been chosen to be during the Government’s so called listening period and before the Whitsun parliamentary recess. The proposal is to march from a central London hospital to a rally outside the Department of Health.
Below is a letter from Wendy Savage, Frank Dobson and Unite inviting trade unions, anti-cuts groups, NHS campaigns, London MPs and others to back the march.
Email defendcamdennhs@gmail.com if you want to add your organisation as a supporter of the demonstration.
Keep Our NHS Public website here
http://www.keepournhspublic.com/index.php/>
Tell Andrew Lansley
OUR HEALTH SERVICE NOT FOR SALE
MARCH TO SAVE THE NHS
Tuesday 17 May 5.30pm
Andrew Lansley’s Health and Social Care Bill threatens to break up our health service and hand it to private healthcare companies.
The Bill would open up the entire health service to the private sector. Private companies will be widely used to commission local services. “Any willing providers” will be encouraged to cherry pick profitable parts of the NHS. Hospitals and other health services will be run as independent providers with the power to charge for services which have been free up to now, with no limit on their earnings from private practice, while at the same time threatening health workers’ pay and conditions.
As private companies calculate how much profit is to be made, 50000 NHS jobs are being cut and front line services are under threat.
The government has now been forced to retreat in the face of a huge groundswell of nationwide opposition. Cameron and Clegg had to intervene to say they want to “pause, listen, reflect and improve” the plans, but it is clear they would like to limit the debate to minor cosmetic changes.
We have to seize this opportunity to step up public opposition to demand the Bill is dropped and to force the government to really listen. Our NHS is precious and these plans will destroy it. We appeal to everyone to join us on 17 May and to speak out against these threats in what ever way they can.
Wendy Savage Joint Chair Keep Our NHS Public
Frank Dobson MP
Unite Health Sector National Committee
London Organising Meeting Tuesday 19 April 7pm
Camden Town Hall Judd Street WC1
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