Updated 10th August, 13th August, 31st August
It was good to see so many people turn out to support the marchers, especially in the wet on the Bank Holiday. Thanks to all our speakers and to the members of the Socialist Choir and Body of Sound for their performances and all their help, as well as to the Sheffield Street Band for adding oomph on both days.
Meanwhile in Sheffield, cuts both in the NHS and in local authority services which affect health are biting deeper. The new head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, with a strong background in the health market, will be outlining his proposals for the NHS in the next few weeks. Labour and the Lib Dems will be firming up their positions in their Party Conferences. Defenders of the NHS need to be on their toes.
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The big summer campaigning event for the NHS in Sheffield will be the arrival of the People's March for the NHS, organised by the Darlington Mums. You can see details of the routes and download posters from the march website.
This is a really exciting and spontaneous manifestation of popular support for the NHS and against the fragmentation and privatisation brought in by the current Government. There is a lot of support up and down the country, not only along the route and on each leg the core marchers will be joined by local people, accompanying them on all or part of the way. The marchers are very keen to demonstrate the breadth of support for the NHS and are not tied to any particular organisation. All groupings which support the principles of the NHS are encouraged to participate and support. SSONHS is co-ordinating part of the Sheffield route.
The march is from Jarrow to Parliament and will reach South Yorkshire on Sunday 24th August, overnighting in Barnsley and then setting off for Sheffield from Barnsley District Hospital on August Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August. After a night in Sheffield the march will set off for Chesterfield from the Town Hall on 26th August.
We are expecting the marchers to reach Weston Park by 5pm on 25th August, where there will be a reception and short rally. We suggest that people who want to join the march before then do so at Hillsborough Park at the Parkside Road entrance at around 3 pm. After marchers and the heir hosts have a meal at the Broomhall Centre, Broomspring Lane, there will be an informal social/get together from about 7.30 at the same venue, not the Shakespeare as previously posted. There will be informal music etc and a BYO arrangement for drinks.
On the following day (26th) the march will be seen off from Sheffield Town Hall by the Leader of the Council, Cllr Julie Dore and Cllr Jillian Creasy for the Green Party. There will be a short rally outside the Hallamshire Hospital, addressed by representatives of people working in the NHS and the march will then go through Hunters Bar, Nether Edge (11.30), and Woodseats to Graves Park and Meadowhead.
We have put out an appeal for help with resources (practical and financial), accommodation and transport, and have already offers of help from local organisations and individuals. Apart from the events we need to raise money for meals and refreshments. We need help with stewarding the march and setting up the rally at Weston Park. For offers or inquiries please email us here or if the link doesn't work try team@sheffieldsaveournhs.co.uk
for updates see our web page
We hope this will be a very special celebration of the NHS here in Sheffield
We are a grassroots movement comprising people from all walks of life who are, or will be affected by the government’s austerity measures and spending cuts to NHS Services across England. We also strongly oppose the creeping privatisation of the NHS by successive governments. Privatisation = Profit not Good Patient Care
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
To be put on the SSONHS mailing list or for any other queries please email teamssonhs@gmail.com
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 increasingly 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 campaigners 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
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
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)
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.
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.
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
