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The Socialist 10 October 2012 |
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Save East Midlands ambulances
Andrew Walton, Unison rep, personal capacity
Our local ambulances carry the slogan: "Arriva, in partnership with the NHS". Has the bus company generously lent the NHS some vehicles? No.
Arriva has bought out the East Midlands non-emergency ambulance service, undercutting the 'in-house' bid, but only by assuming that there will be 35% fewer ambulance journeys than at present.
What's left of the NHS ambulance service helps people across the East Midlands. The plans are to cut back 66 NHS ambulance stations to just 13.
Closing all stations in villages and remote areas will mean much longer journey times to reach a hospital for anyone not living in a city.
This plan is being 'consulted on', but this is just a tick-box exercise, not democracy. People are given no real option; NHS bosses know cutting services is deeply unpopular.
These cuts show the real priorities of a market-driven, privatised health system. Today, NHS Trusts have to compete with the lowest bidder and patient care is less of a priority than breaking even in order to attain Foundation Trust status which, like "Partnership", is a code word for privatisation.
After a successful public meeting against NHS cuts, we decided to lobby the consultation meetings. But the health unions should be taking action over this attack, including looking to ballot for industrial action.
This is not an easy option for workers in an emergency service but the unacceptable alternative is to see ambulance services decimated and sold off.
In this issue
Socialist Party news and analysis
 Tories promise more pain... Kick out the 'nasty party'!
Labour Party conference - not fighting austerity
Arguing the case for a 24-hour general strike
Birmingham Tory conference demo
'Millions crying out for leadership and for an alternative'
Anti-austerity candidates selected for November contests
No welfare cuts
Health workers must fight attacks on jobs and pay
Politicians line up to attack abortion rights
The hidden homeless - "Sofa surfing is my lot"
Them & Us
Transport feature
Send the transport privatisers packing
International socialist news and analysis
Venezuela presidential election
Greece: escalating the action against austerity
South Africa: 'What are we doing about this government that is killing us?'
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Why we're marching on 20 October
More success for Socialist Students
Save East Midlands ambulances
Campaign Kazakhstan: A musical and political evening
Youth Fight for Jobs and Education fortnight of action 13-27 October
Dewsbury fights health service cuts
Waltham Forest: Parents and staff unite against school sell-off
Sunderland anti-fascists stand up against divisive EDL
Socialist Party workplace news
South Wales bus workers receive strong support for strike
Fighting the construction industry blacklist
Workplace nurseries saved in HMRC
Leeds solidarity with Crossrail battle
Mid Yorkshire Health admin staff ballot for strike
Bin workers' strike threat
Workplace news in brief
Marxism
TV review : Masters of Money - Karl Marx
Marx was right!
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