S.O.S NHS!

S.O.S NHS!

Stop the cuts and jobs slaughter

PATRICIA HEWITT, Blair’s health secretary, claims the National Health
Service is having its "best year ever." Millions of people
think she’s talking total rubbish! Labour’s attacks on the NHS are
making hospital trusts all over the country threaten to sack workers,
cut beds and close hospitals or wards.
Andy Bentley, Stoke-on-Trent Socialist Party

These attacks are part of the government’s plan to prepare the NHS
for privatisation. Blair’s rich friends in big business are circling
like vultures waiting to be given the most profitable parts.

But Blair and Pat ‘Butcher’ Hewitt underestimate the deep-seated
support for the NHS among ordinary people. They think we’re stupid. They
tell us they have given £ billions to the NHS but much of this money is
going to private treatment centres, drug companies and construction
companies’ swollen bank accounts.

The new hospital being built in Stoke-on-Trent will cost £410
million to build. But the NHS will pay a staggering £1.5 billion over
30 years to pay for it!

On 29 April in Stoke, thousands will support the march against the
University Hospital of North Staffs (UHNS) plans to sack 1,200 NHS staff
and destroy 160 beds. The march and rally has been organised by the
North Staffs NHS – SOS campaign set up only weeks ago with a leading
role played by Socialist Party members including Socialist councillors
Dave and Paul Sutton.

UHNS boss, Antony Sumara, says these cuts won’t affect patient care.
But already staff who leave are not being replaced which is placing a
massive strain on the other staff.

This march will be an important step in mobilising opposition to the
government’s plans but by itself it is unlikely to be enough. NHS
workers and working people across Britain should demand that the union
organise a national demonstration as soon as possible to link up all the
NHS defence campaigns around the country.

Determined action can defeat the government’s plans. Just the threat
of strike action forced the government to back down over plans to
increase millions of public-sector workers’ retirement age from 60 to
65.

UNISON and other health unions should organise immediately and
prepare for strike action. NHS workers should only work their
contractual hours to show how hospitals are being run on the goodwill of
an overstretched staff.

  • All trade union members should demand that no more money is handed
    over to a Labour Party that attacks workers’ jobs, pay and conditions
    all over Britain. This money should be used instead to build a new party
    that represents ordinary working people.
  • No to NHS job losses, cuts and closures.
  • No to privatisation and ‘the market’.
  • New hospitals to be built with public funding not for private profit.
  • Unite the many campaigns to defend the NHS – demand the unions call a national demonstration.
  • Prepare for a one day strike of NHS workers – with NHS staff deciding emergency cover.
  • Rebuild the NHS as a publicly funded service, free at the point of use.
  • No more money to Labour – it’s time for a new workers’ party.

March to defend the NHS

Saturday 29 April – from 11 am