Whatever you make of the Brexit vote, the ensuing chaos must be laid firmly at the door of the Conservative Party which forced the idea of the referendum, organised it (if that's the right word), failed to be honest about the issues (on either side), alienated the public and failed also to plan for an unexpected result.
The EU Leave campaign made a deliberate point of promising extra money for the NHS. The extent of the pledge was quickly revealed to be a lie and, indeed, post referendum, has already been retreated from by the likes of Nigel Farage. Nevertheless comments from the public both before and after referendum day suggested that it stuck in the memory and influenced people’s votes.
Whatever happens to the UK’s relationship with the EU after the vote in favour of Leave, the current government's austerity programme has placed the NHS in dire trouble and it is now issuing new threats to public spending. Goerge Osborne warned that even his so-called protection for the NHS budget was unlikely to be guaranteed. Starved of resources, haemorrhaging clinical staff, and facing continually rising expectations, the NHS faces new threats of further cuts because of growing economic weakness, rising inflation as a result of currency fluctuation and the likely diminution of the 52000 EU immigrant staff who help to keep services meeting patient need. As budgets get tighter national and local NHS leaders are being forced into ever more contortions to keep the service going - the latest being so-called Sustainability and Transformation Plans, in our case covering the whole of South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw. In many parts of the country these plans introduce cuts and closures and are already subject to challenge.
In the General Election our area voted overwhelmingly for pro-NHS candidates but in the referendum it voted narrowly for Leave. Few in Sheffield want to see the NHS collapse so we have a collective responsibility to ensure that what we value about our system lives on. We, the public, NHS patients and NHS staff, whether we are Remainers or Brexiters, need to care for the NHS both in the demands we must make of decision makers in all parts of the political spectrum and in the way in which we use it. Otherwise. before very long, we will find ourselves faced with an increasing spread of charges and the collapse of many parts of the system into private hands with no sense of responsibility to society at large. We've already seen the mess which has been left in places like Nottingham, Cambridgeshire and Cornwall when that happens. Sheffield Save Our NHS will be continuing to campaign both locally and in partnership with others in Yorkshire and the rest of the country to keep the NHS as a public provider of quality universal health care.
Come to our meeting on 4th July at the United Reform Church (6.30 for 7pm) to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the NHS, to hear about developments across Yorkshire, and to plan how best to campaign for the NHS in the future.
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
