Defend Our NHS, No to Privatisation. ‘SAVE NHS’ DEMO GOES AHEAD
Posted on | March 6, 2013 | No Comments
NORFOLK COALITION AGAINST THE CUTS
PRESS RELEASE
for immediate use
7 March 2013
‘SAVE NHS’ DEMO GOES AHEAD
– DESPITE HEALTH MINISTER LAMB’S PLEDGE
TO ‘REWRITE’ REGULATIONS
– DESPITE HEALTH MINISTER LAMB’S PLEDGE
TO ‘REWRITE’ REGULATIONS
Despite a pledge by health minister Norman Lamb MP that the Coalition government will ‘rewrite’ NHS competition regulations, a protest against NHS privatisation will go ahead in the minister’s North Norfolk constituency on Saturday (9 March).
A rally will take place at mid-day at the Market Cross in North Walsham.
Local campaigners say that opposition to government NHS privatisation plans should not diminish in response to Mr Lamb’s promise – and pressure should be stepped up. They are urging families to attend with placards and banners.
Bill Adnams of ‘Keep our NHS Public’ said:
‘The protest goes ahead, as the Lib-Dems have caved in on NHS privatisation before: when the Government called a pause to NHS reform after public protests, the Lib-Dems helped the legislation through parliament a few months later, with only minor changes. Having now seen Section 75 of the Act’s regulations – which would open most of the NHS to privatisation – we cannot trust that ‘rewriting’ means abandonment of privatisation.
Andy Cairns, of North Norfolk Against the Cuts, a constituent of Mr Lamb, said:
‘Norman Lamb had planned to announce next Monday that the government would rewrite the NHS competition rules, but the pressure of the last two weeks, over Section 75, has rushed him into earlier damage limitation mode. This shows that public pressure works. However, we can’t be complacent. We need to show Norman Lamb and the government we aren’t going away. The NHS is too precious to be handed to profiteers.’
The rally will include speakers from the ‘Keep Our NHS Public’ (KONP) campaign, North Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts, health union UNISON, Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts and Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People.
As well as demanding an end to NHS privatisation, speakers will also highlight related matters of great concern in Norfolk including plans to cut 500 jobs from mental health services, underperforming ambulance services facing a £50 million cut and the combination of service cuts and welfare reforms which are causing distress amongst disabled people and the vulnerable poor.
ENDS
Notes
The rally is being organised by North Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts with help from Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts and Keep Our NHS Public. UNISON health (Norfolk Mental health) and UNISON Eastern region .
The location is on the attached leaflet.
Notes to picture editors/TV:
This will be a colourful, lively event with many placards and banners, by the historic market cross.
This will be a colourful, lively event with many placards and banners, by the historic market cross.
(BBC: you have related footage from 2 March event which decided to organise the protest).
Further information:
Trevor Phillips: Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts (NCAC) Press Officer, 07794 690322
Bill Adnams, Keep Our NHS Public (Norfolk): 01603 451508
Mark Harrison, Chief Exec; Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People: 01508 491213
UNISON numbers on request.
NCAC website: www.norfolkcoalitionagainstcuts.org
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