Launched today, the new NHS Bill, (the Health and Social Care Bill), is a radical plan to change the way the NHS is organised and how health care is delivered in England.
The plans put forward in the bill are controversial. This week six health unions, including the BMA, warned of their “extreme concerns” about the plans
for more commercial competition between the NHS and private companies.
Experts are also saying that these new rules could be a huge waste of money and make it much harder for doctors and nurses to work together, and could increase waiting lists. Lots of people are saying these changes will lead to the NHS getting privatised.
What can I do?
Next week, 38 Degrees members all around the country will be getting together, in cafes, sitting rooms, and village halls, to discuss how to take action to protect the NHS.
If you’d like to attend a local event, then use this easy feature to see where they’re taking place:
Find a get-together near you
If you want to set up an event where you are, then click here:
Create a get-together near you
Complete the Quick Survey 38 Degrees
Yesterday afternoon, the government went public with their plans to make changes to the NHS.
[1] Many 38 Degrees members are already worried these plans could be a big step towards privatisation.
[2] Now, we need to decide in the next few days whether we share their concerns and if now is the time to start a campaign to stop them.
38 Degrees members have been standing up for the NHS for months. Like the Save Our Forests and tax-dodging campaigns, we made the decision to launch it together. We've already helped change events: we helped stop big cuts to NHS Direct when thousands of us contacted our MPs.
[3] Now, we need to decide about these latest plans. Do we agree with warnings from doctors and nurses that these changes could be bad news for patients? Do we think the government might be planning to break up the NHS?
Click here to share your ideas on the NHS by taking part in an online poll:
https://mailserver1.hushmail.com/hushmail/showHelpFile.php?file=popupHyperlinkHelp.html
Or you could discuss ideas face-to-face at a 38 Degrees NHS get-together near where you live.
Yesterday, the government made it clear that they're planning to push through the changes fast. Once they get underway, they'll be hard to reverse. That means we need to decide now whether we're going to try and stop them.
The NHS isn't perfect, but every year it saves and improves thousands of lives. And although politicians might not like how much it costs, lots of people think these huge changes could end up being even more expensive.
[4] David Cameron seems pretty determined to force through his plans for the NHS. But he's still got to get MPs to vote for the changes. If enough of us speak out, there's still time to try and stop him if we want to.
Click here to vote on whether or not we campaign to stop the NHS changes:
https://mailserver1.hushmail.com/hushmail/showHelpFile.php?file=popupHyperlinkHelp.html
Click here to take part in a local get-together to makes plans in your area.
Together, we’ve already proved that when we work together, we can change the way politicians think. And when thousands of us took action to save NHS Direct from big cuts last year, it worked.
38 Degrees members have already shared stories about why we love the NHS, to make sure tabloid horror stories aren’t the only ones getting heard. [5] And all over the country, 38 Degrees members are getting together to share their ideas on how to stand up for the NHS.
[6] If we do want to campaign to stop these changes to our health service, we don’t have long. But before we start, we need to decide whether this is the right time for us to get involved. And if we do decide to go ahead, we need to make sure we’ve worked together to get the best possible plan.
Click here to share your ideas about standing up for the NHS on the 38 Degrees website:
https://mailserver1.hushmail.com/hushmail/showHelpFile.php?file=popupHyperlinkHelp.html
There are lots of different views on the government's plans for the NHS. On the 38 Degrees website, they have pulled together lots of links to articles and factsheets, in case you want to read more before you make up your minds on the campaign.
Click here to read more: https://mailserver1.hushmail.com/hushmail/showHelpFile.php?file=popupHyperlinkHelp.html
NOTES
[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/19/nhs-shakeup-patients-gps-report
[2] http://labs.38degrees.org.uk/wall/nhs
[3] http://38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/achievements
[4] http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/15/nhs-confederation-attacks-reform-plans
[5] http://labs.38degrees.org.uk/wall/nhs
[6] http://www.38degrees.org.uk/find-an-NHS-get-together
Click here to take part in a 38 Degrees get-together to make local plans on our NHS campaign.
Thanks for being involved,
No comments:
Post a Comment