March to save the NHS

PROFITABLE PARTS of the National Health Service are, more and more, being parcelled up and sold off. The US-owned United Health and Humana private sector health care companies, which are implicated in corruption charges in the US, are among 14 private companies about to take over Primary Care Trust commissioning in the health service.

At the same time 22,000 people have lost their jobs In the NHS as a result of millions of pounds worth of cuts with more to come. Trade union activist Len Hockey from Whipps Cross hospital Unison branch is calling for everybody who wants to save the NHS to join the Unison-led demonstration on 3 November (see page 5 for details).

But, he says, the march must be the start of a real campaign. "This demonstration should reflect the anger, determination and resolve of NHS workers to defend the health service, so it continues to run as a service based on people's needs rather than private greed."

The 3 November demonstration should act as a springboard for a major campaign of action which can unite groups such as Keep our NHS Public, People United to Save Hospitals and fighting trade union branches, to fend off attempts at spending cuts, closures and privatisation both nationally and locally.