RESIST THE BREAKUP OF THE NHS THROUGH PRIVATISATION AND CUTS!


BRIEF UPDATE April 2018
(N.B. This site is not currently being regularly updated. )


FOR COMING EVENTS, MEETINGS AND OTHER INFORMATION

SEE BELOW AND THE MAIN SSONHS WEBSITE

www.sheffieldsaveournhs.co.uk


To be put on the SSONHS mailing list or for any other queries please email teamssonhs@gmail.com


NHS11END


The government's increasingly desperate attempts to defend their record on the NHS have become less and less credible over the last year. This is partly due to in
creasingly effective local and national campaigns and partly to the crisis in hospitals, primary care and social care has forced more and more of those involved to speak out against the damage being caused by austerity. But many of those who are being damaged have no voice. Poor people, disabled people and the chronically ill have fewer opportunities to make their case as their benefit and treatment rights become eroded. NHS staff are generally gagged in one way or another. Exit can be the only escape leaving the NHS still weaker and now less and less able to recruit staff from overseas.

Large national demonstrations and industrial action by junior doctors, nurses and others have made the strength of feeling around the country quite clear, to the extent that even the Conservatives have got worried enough to promise the outlines of a new financial deal this summer. But will it be too late? Certainly it will be insufficient to undo the damage inflicted since 2010. Meanwhile the stress on services which affect the need for healthcare becomes more and more acute. The unspupported costs of Social Care (which is subject to means tested charges) is driving local authorities to bankruptcy.

Another threat is the developing reorganisation into Integrated Care Systems (previously known as Accountable Care Systems) which threaten to become Accountable Care Organisations. In our local area the Integrated Care System covers Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Bassetlaw as well as Sheffield. (See posts below.) Increasing pressure from campaig
ners and within the Labour Party is deterring local councils to sign up to these in case they become vehicles for further cuts and privatisation.

Across South Yorkshire resistance is building to the threatened implications of the ICS for local services and South Yorkshire Save Our NHS have formed a political party to stand in the Sheffield City Region Mayoral election on May 3rd 2018. See also Barnsley Save Our NHS.


THE NHS IS
NHS21END_(Small)NOT KILLED OFF YET. Campaigning does work whether on the streets, in the press or, increasingly in the lawcourts. The government's high-handed tactics are being subjected to an increasing number of judicial reviews. At national level these have forced a public consultation on Accountable Care Organisations starting in May 2018.


Cartoons by Samantha Galbraith @sgalbraith47


For more national information see Health Campaigns Together and Keep Our NHS Public


FUTURE EVENTS


April 14th 2018 11.45 Regional Demonstration to Save the NHS Leeds

April 25th
Soviet Healthcare via Targets: Are Governments Bringing it into the NHS? Roco 2pm or 7pm

April 28th Sheffield Demonstration against proposed closure of the Minor Injuries and Walk-in Centres (see main website for details)

June 27th The NHS is 70 - but what is its life expectancy? Festival of Debate / SSONHS panel discussion and social. Roco 7pm - 11 pm.

June 30th Health Campaigns Together march for the NHS in London See main wesbite for details.

SSONHS planning and information meetings are generally on the first Monday of the month, except for bank holidays. They are usually at 6pm at the United Reform Church. Chapel Walk/Norfolk St S1


To contact us email teamssonhs@gmail.com

PREVIOUS EVENTS


In 2016 abnd 2017 we worked with Sheffield Festival of Debate and other colleagues to promote realistic discussion of the issues facing the NHS. On 4th May 2017 we had a lively meeting debating the future of hospitals and in 2016 we mounted an exhibition on NHS privatisation to coincide with a play, A DUTY OF CARE about Labour and the healthcare market. On 22nd November 2016 we held a panel-led debate on the future of the NHS with local NHS leaders, academics and campaigners. We also held a public meeting on 4th July 2016 to celebrate the NHS anniversary, discuss the STPs, the implications for privatisation in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire and the consequences of the EU referendum result.


In March 2016 we held a successful workshop Taking Back Our NHS




We supported the Junior Doctors throughout their action because we felt they were being unfairly treated and were being treated as the advance guard for Hunt's uncosted, unfunded and misconceived ambition for a 7 day NHS. (For one of our supporter's views at the beginning of the dispute see this column in the Sheffield Star http://tinyurl.com/oo8qoc3)

For our questions to 2017 General Election candidates and canvassers about the NHS see our
website campaign page


2016 8th-22nd November Exhibition on NHS privatisation How come we didn't know by London photographer Marion Macalpine
Theatre Delicatessen, The Moor


22nd November SSONHS Festival of Debate event
Why is the NHS Under so much pressure? How can we save it for future generations?
Speakers included Dr Tim Moorhead, Chair, Sheffield CCG, Kevan Taylor (Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust) and Professor Sarah Salway (University of Sheffield, Public Health) + local campaigners

Taking Back Our NHS SSONHS workshop

Saturday 12th March 2016, 10am - 2pm

(2015)

Tuesday 22nd September, 7pm screening of Sell Off, attended by well over 100 people.

Campaigning for GP practices at risk of closure

2nd July Successful SSONHS public meeting addressed by Ray Tallis and speakers from Devonshire Green and Unison.

http://www.peoplesnhs.org/nhs-staffordshire-cancer/campaign-information/maydaymarchnhs/

2nd May SSONHS stall in city centre from 11.30 Come and see us.

The 38 degrees ambulance will also be in Surrey Street at 12pm and conveying the 38 degrees petitions to local Hallam candidates at Wesley Hall in Crookes for 3pm.

25th April - March through Sheffield Hallam, with the People's NHS and 38 degrees



28th February 38 degrees petitioning around Sheffield http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/health/local-health/campaigners-take-to-sheffield-streets-in-fight-to-save-nhs-1-7132981

22nd November Leafleting in Sheffield City Centre from 12.00 pm in support of the NHS strikers. For A5 and A4 copies of the leaflet which has more information on it see the Campaigns Page at our website

24th November NHS picket lines from 7am to 11am. Rallies at the Hallamshire and Northern General (Herries Road) at 10 am.


We were proud to support the Jarrow to London march for the NHS, organised by Darlington Mums passing through Sheffield on August Bank Holiday Monday. http://999callfornhs.org.uk/ Thanks to everyone for helping and joining in.

24th JULY 2014 Public Meeting jointly with Sheffield Medsin

Is our NHS really in crisis? Behind the headlines and soundbites
Panel discussion led by GPs and health experts from the NHS and universities.

For past activities see our website www.sheffieldsaveournhs.co.uk

Wednesday 4 April 2012

June consultation on proposed closure of 3 dementia care homes in Sheffield

Updated 19 July

Earlier this year the Council announced the proposed closure of three more dementia care units, Norbury resource centre in Norwood, Hurlfield View in Gleadless Common and Bolehill View resource centre in Crookes. The homes are managed by Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of the council, which aims to save £385,000 from the closures.  Again this is based on buildings and costs.  However other options included reducing management costs and cutting paid time off for trade union duties
The Council's Scrutiny Committee was critical of some of the ways in which the proposals for closure of the two intermediate care resource centres had been handled - including a failure to discuss alternative options fully with staff. They also criticised the failure of NHS Sheffield after four years to identify a site for a proposed 80 bed intermediate care centre and requested an update in 6 months.

Possible as a result of this the decided to defer the formal consultation of closure of these 3 units and open a more general consultation on dementia services - from which further proposals for reconfiguration (including possible closures) will emerge.  See https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/caresupport/policy/dementia-support.html.
SSONHS will be making a response - all ideas and contributions welcome - post a comment here or email team@sheffieldsaveournhs.co.uk 
There have been petitions going round for these homes as well but it is not clear which one is official.  There is one set up by the Lib Dems but the Lib Dems are going heavily for the reduction in trade union facilities as the main cost saver. http://www.sheffieldlibdems.org.uk/2012/03/28/fight-continues-for-dementia-homes-despite-budget-vote/   Perhaps Unison or GMB will get encouragement from the Intermediate Care success to pull this together.

Temporary reprieve for Intermediate Care Centres for Older People

Following a presentation of the petition now signed by over 7,300 people to save Sevenfields and Hazelhurst resource centres (providing intermediate care for older people), today's meeting of Sheffield Council agreed unanimously to refer the proposed closure to the Council's Health Scrutiny Committee for further evaluation which will give all those concerned, including the public, carers and staff to press their case and look in more detail at options.  This vote came after something of an inter party slanging match with Labour and the Lib Dems hurling accusations at each other.
The scene was set by a question (not properly answered) from Sheffield LINK about the complete lack of any intermediate care strategy and the petition was well presented.  The main case for closure was that, despite the generally accepted excellent quality of care, the buildings were unsuitable (communal toilets) and required further refurbishment which could only be temporary and the NHS (NHS Sheffield, ie. GPs) wants to purchase beds which provide nursed care, which the resource centres don't.  The Council was therefore facing both increased expenditure and loss of income.  There seemed to be disagreement about the demand for beds, with the official reports (including the original one for the Lib Dems) saying they were underused, while the advocates of staying open said there are waiting lists. 
The Lib Dems quite rightly pointed out that the result of closure would be the effective privatisation of the service because a possible NHS 120 bed intermediate treatment centre has not got out of the planning stage and the intention is that the NHS (and non NHS supported prospective residents) would need to purchase beds in the private sector where 'costs [including wage costs] are lower.  Lib Dems also suggested there were more options now including a worker's co-op approach perhaps financed by the Coalition's Big Society loan fund, announced today. This might have been pre-election flag waving and not very realistic but it made the point that only a restricted number of options had been considered.  The Greens joined the call for referral to scrutiny.