Last week, 38 Degrees members in a few locations around the country organised get-togethers to talk about the NHS.
In Oldham, Bristol, Truro, north London, Staffordshire, York, Kent, Leeds, Norwich, Reading and Nottingham, 38 Degrees memberssat down together to discuss the government’s worrying plans for our health service and how to sound the alarm in their local area.
James, one of the organisers of the York meeting, said this:
“Our get-together brought local health professionals, patients and the public together to discuss NHS reforms and to find common ground on how to take action…the hardest bit about arranging the meeting was sticking up posters directing people to the room!”
This is just the beginning. Today the government made clear it wants to push through its changes to the NHS. [1] We need to get ready to stop them. In January, we need to organise hundreds of Save our NHS get-togethers up and down the country. Could you help organise one?
Please click here to put your name down to be involved with a Save our NHS get-together in your area: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/NHS-get-together
Early in the New Year, the government will start pushing changes to the NHS through parliament. Nurses, doctors and patients groups are all warning that they could do terrible damage – bad for patients, fuelling privatisation, and wasting a huge amount of money. [2]
Thousands of us took part in a poll a few weeks ago to decide how to respond. One of the most popular ideas was to sit down together in our own local areas – in front rooms, community centres, local cafes or pubs – to make plans to protect the NHS. We realised that we need to start working together in our local areas. That way we can really sound the alarm and stop the government’s plans before it’s too late.
Please click here to put your name down to join other 38 Degrees members in your area at a get-together in January: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/NHS-get-together
These events aren’t hard work to organise. It’s just about getting people together for an hour or two, including some who work in the NHS, to talk about the issues and decide what you want to do next. There’ll be plenty of support to make sure no one ends up biting off more than they can chew.
38 Degrees member David organised last week’s get-together in Reading, and said afterwards, “Organising the NHS meeting was a pleasure. It was made simple by the 38 Degrees office and I was very encouraged by the responses (even from those we couldn’t attend). The internet makes people power fast and responsive – this method can be an effective platform to have our voices heard”.
People usually expect 38 Degrees action to happen on the internet. But we know that we need to use a range of tactics to keep MPs on their toes. Let’s start getting ready to take the campaign into our local neighbourhoods. If MPs see events happening on their doorstep, it will help make them think twice about backing the government’s plans.
There be anything to do until January. But please click here now to put your name down and say you want to get involved: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/NHS-get-together
Thanks for getting involved,
David, Hannah, Johnny, Eilidh and the 38 Degrees Team
PS: We hit our fundraising target to get adverts about tax dodging in the national papers on the same day that VAT goes up. Thank you to everyone who donated! To see a copy of the ad, please click here: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/artful-dodger
NOTES:
[1]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11993361
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/a-train-crash-the-nhss-verdict-on-the-coalitions-health-reforms-2160623.html
[2]
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/health/lansley-under-pressure-as-nhs-reform-costs-spiral-$21381665.html
http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2010/11/pcts-warn-against-rush-to-nhs-reform
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health-news/2010/07/16/scandalous-nhs-reform-costs-2bn-115875-22416776/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/nov/19/doctors-warned-expect-unrest-reforms
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8148220/Senior-doctor-attacks-NHS-reforms.html
http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/primary-care/gps-face-patient-revolt-over-reform-plans/5022203.article
[3]
http://www.newstatesman.com/2010/04/health-nhs-parties-promise
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jan/04/cameron-promises-nhs-cash-protect-spending
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8619795.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11802648
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8148220/Senior-doctor-attacks-NHS-reforms.html
