Marching to Save the NHS, photo Paul Mattsson

Marching to Save the NHS, photo Paul Mattsson   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

“Slash and trash plans” is how campaigners from Health Campaigns Together renamed the government’s Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs), the latest vehicle for cuts to the NHS. STPs, spread over 44 footprint areas, are expected to deliver £22 billion worth of cuts by 2020-21, including £1.07 billion for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate footprint.

Leeds played host to a conference of NHS organisations discussing how to implement STPs on 1 December, with around 25 people from local NHS campaigns able to make a lunchtime protest.

Given these attacks, plus the closures of accident and emergency units in nearby areas such as Huddersfield, campaigners locally will be involved in organising several demonstrations. This will include building for the 4 March Health Campaigns Together national demonstration which was recently supported by Leeds TUC.

Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party