The local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) proposed to close the centre 'temporarily' and attempted to hide it from the public. However a Socialist Party member in TUSC discovered and exposed the threat.

The 'Save Bitterne Walk-In Centre Campaign' was led by TUSC who informed the public with stalls and letters to local media. This galvanised an outraged public to mobilise and attend the final Health Overview Scrutiny Panel meeting where the CCG submitted its proposal.

People packed the meeting with standing room only. This pressured those on the panel to give a reprieve and keep the centre open until after the election.

Reprieve

After much self-congratulating from the establishment parties with claims to have been the 'winners' of the reprieve, we in TUSC maintained it was the people who 'won'. Although happy with the result, we told people of the need to be ready to act when the attack returned after the election.

The CCG has now confirmed our warning and proposes complete closure of the centre, revealing their real intention all along.

A new public consultation process has begun with a survey being sent out to residents. The survey is loaded in the way it's presented, trying to get people to accept the closure.

Figures released from the CCG show a reduced number of people using the centre, but fail to say that the centre has had its services reduced drastically and that in the last 9 months the CCG has erased the Walk-In Centre as an available resource from its website and documentation.

Public meeting

TUSC went back to the streets with leaflets and petitions. The response has once again been overwhelming with outright condemnation and commitment to fight again.

On Saturday 27 June TUSC held a public meeting where 40 people attended a lively debate with passionate input from the floor showing a renewed commitment to defend our service.

We reached unanimous agreement to engage in the consultation period by attending the public meetings to let the CCG know we demand to keep our Walk-In Centre.

One resident involved in the campaign told me that she telephoned a local Labour Parliamentary Candidate and asked what they planned to do about the proposal. The reply was she did not plan to do anything as: "This is a done deal!" We beg to differ.

No other parties have said a word in protest, except TUSC!

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.