Socialist Party member Steve Score speaking at the demo to save Grantham A&E and the NHS, 14.10.17, photo by East Midlands Socialist Party

Socialist Party member Steve Score speaking at the demo to save Grantham A&E and the NHS, 14.10.17, photo by East Midlands Socialist Party   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Heather Rawling

An NHS ‘uprising’ took place in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on Saturday 14 October! A determined 800-strong demonstration wound its way through the town. People are fighting against the night time closure of Grantham A&E and the systematic downgrading of services in their local hospital.

But this was more than just about Grantham A&E. Campaigners in Louth created a banner around the theme of an NHS uprising against cuts, closures and privatisation.

After their local protest they took it to a Lincoln protest against the closure of a walk-in centre and then Grantham. Their plan is to take it around elsewhere where there are threats to the NHS as a way of helping to build links between campaigns.

Fiery speeches from many campaigners, including NHS staff, explained the impact of losing services. This included a speech from Socialist Party member Steve Score, representing the Save Glenfield Children’s Hospital campaign.