This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/30/thousands-to-join-london-protest-over-nhs-funding

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Thousands protest in London over NHS funding cuts Thousands protest in London over NHS funding cuts
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of people have marched through London to mark the NHS’s 70th anniversary and demand an end to government cuts to the health service. Tens of thousands of people have marched through London to mark the NHS’s 70th anniversary and demand an end to government cuts to the health service, of which large swathes have been privatised in recent years.
Demonstrators moved down Whitehall and stopped outside Downing Street to demand Theresa May’s resignation en route to the stage where Jeremy Corbyn and others were due to speak on Saturday afternoon. Bearing placards reading “Cuts leave scars”, “For people not profit” and “Democracy or corporate power” demonstrators moved down Whitehall to the chant of “Who’s NHS, our NHS”.
Placards reading “Cuts leave scars”, “For people not profit” and “Democracy or corporate power” were held aloft amid palpable anger towards the government’s NHS policy, although the event also had a festival atmosphere. They stopped outside Downing Street to demand Theresa May’s resignation en route to the stage where Jeremy Corbyn and others were due to speak on Saturday afternoon.
Protesters spoke of how the NHS had saved the lives of themselves and their relatives and cited fears that the UK was heading towards a US-style system, where 20 million people do not have access to healthcare. A festival atmosphere permeated the crowd, although the anger towards the government’s NHS policy was palpable.
Nurses from Wigan, who have been on strike over privatisation at their hospital, marched alongside Labour and Green party politicians and various celebrities. The organisers estimated that around 40,000 people had turned out and taken to the streets for the NHS 70 March, which proceeded down Regent Street to the thump of a marching band.
The government has faced enduring criticism that it has failed to adequately fund the NHS since 2010, and that it has overseen a decline in the once widely admired public health service as a way to privatise it by stealth. Protesters spoke of how the NHS had saved the lives of themselves and their relatives, while others feared that a comprehensive health service might not exist for future generations unless there is radical change.
Earlier this month, Theresa May promised an extra £20bn of funding as part of a “Brexit dividend”, although a government spending watchdog challenged the basis of the pledge, which it suggested was ambiguous. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the NHS, they saved my life at 15 and the unit that I stayed at is now closed because of the cuts,” said Polly Ridgewell-Cook, from Essex.
“I’ve worked for the NHS as an analyst for 10 years, I’ve seen the frontline cuts, staff leaving because they’re not supported enough – they’re in tears in A&E and many have even gone into the private sector.
“We outsource things because we have do so to meet targets because we don’t have the capacity. I think that’s a design. It’s just terrible, we can do better than this, we did do better than this.”
Others paid tribute to the dedication of NHS staff who saved their loved ones when they had thought they were on the brink of death.
“NHS staff saved my mothers life when she stopped breathing,” said Dan Harper, a protester from Camden. “The ambulance drivers resuscitated her and then went above and beyond to get her to hospital.
“Nurses from many different countries then treated her and gave me the opportunity to spend more time with her. Whatever it takes to meet the needs of the NHS should be given by government.”
A cake held aloft to mark the NHS’s 70th birthday had a candle with a “For sale” sign sticking out of it, while campaigners and politicians took to the stage outside All Souls church in Marylebone to give speeches.
There was a real fear among the speakers that the NHS might one day no longer be free at the point of use.
“I come from a generation that had to pay for their healthcare and in a climate like that it was only the rich who could afford to be healthy,” said Jan Shortt, the general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention.
“On the street in Luton, Bedfordshire, where I lived there were various families who lost their children to whooping cough. My grandad told me he used to pay one and six every time the doctor came to visit and medication was extra.
“Since the budget cuts my chronically asthmatic son has been forced to change his inhaler and the new one isn’t as effective.”
Other demonstrators cited fears that the UK was heading towards a US-style system, where 20 million people do not have access to healthcare.
Nurses from Wigan, who have been on strike over privatisation at their hospital, spoke about how there are plans to transfer hundreds of staff from the NHS to a private sector company called WWL Solutions on 1 August.
“The NHS isn’t just a logo, it means everything to us,” said Joanna McClure, a striking nurse. “We’ve done two two-day strikes, we’re currently on a five-day strike and we’ll carry on striking again until we get where we need to be.
Between 2010-11 and 2016-17, health spending increased by an average of 1.2% above inflation and increases are due to continue in real terms at a similar rate until the end of this parliament. This is far below the annual inflation-proof growth rate that the NHS enjoyed before 2010 of almost 4% stretching back to the 1950s. As budgets tighten, NHS organisations have been struggling to live within their means. In the financial year 2015-16, acute trusts recorded a deficit of £2.6bn. This was reduced to £800m last year, though only after a £1.8bn bung from the Department of Health, which shows the deficit remained the same year on year.Between 2010-11 and 2016-17, health spending increased by an average of 1.2% above inflation and increases are due to continue in real terms at a similar rate until the end of this parliament. This is far below the annual inflation-proof growth rate that the NHS enjoyed before 2010 of almost 4% stretching back to the 1950s. As budgets tighten, NHS organisations have been struggling to live within their means. In the financial year 2015-16, acute trusts recorded a deficit of £2.6bn. This was reduced to £800m last year, though only after a £1.8bn bung from the Department of Health, which shows the deficit remained the same year on year.
Read a full Q&A on the NHS winter crisisRead a full Q&A on the NHS winter crisis
Corbyn has said the funding pledge is “simply not enough to make up for the last eight years of slashed budgets and worsening standards, falling morale and loss of staff” and would “barely keep the NHS at a standstill”. “We’re passionate about working for the NHS but a lot of things have changed: there are longer waiting times and people can’t get appointments for months. It’s getting so much more difficult.”
“Every day there are shocking stories of unacceptable waiting times, ambulance delays and patients left on trolleys in corridors, and they’ve spent years selling off and contracting out our NHS bit by bit, leaving the NHS to be sued by private companies, like Virgin,” he said. Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said NHS staff demonstrated “compassion in action” every day and restated Labour’s pledge to end the privatisation of the health service.
“Labour will end privatisation because our NHS should be about healthcare for all, not profits for a few.” “Every minute of every day NHS staff go well beyond the call of duty to bring life into the world, to save life, to respond to unspeakable tragedy and they are there for the final moments of our loved ones lives,” he said.
Research by the Trades Union Congress showed widespread shortages of GPs in England, with 43% fewer doctors than needed in Milton Keynes and Luton. “We’re all immensely proud of the NHS and we’re all going to fight for it. Labour would end privatisation and start properly resourcing the NHS.”
“Underfunding has left the NHS on the critical list. There are too few doctors, too few beds and too few healthcare staff,” said its general secretary, Frances O’Grady. The government has faced enduring criticism that it has failed to adequately fund the NHS since 2010, and that it has overseen a decline in the once widely admired public health service as a way to privatise it by stealth.
“The best medicine for the NHS is the extra funding it needs, but the government is giving it too small a dose to bring it up to full health. Earlier this month, Theresa May promised an extra £20bn of funding as part of a “Brexit dividend”, although a government spending watchdog challenged the basis of the pledge, which it suggested was ambiguous.
“We’re sending a message to the government today that our NHS needs a better deal and it must be publicly owned and provided so that every penny goes to patient care and not to private profits.”
The GMB union said the three-year pay deal for NHS workers would lead to a real pay cut of up to £2,500 for some staff. It is the only health union to have rejected the deal.
Its national officer, Rachel Harrison, said: “Jeremy Hunt has some cheek imposing a real terms pay cut of thousands of pounds on hard-working NHS staff.
“On the NHS’s 70th birthday, the health secretary has soured the mood with his party pooper of a pay offer.”
Sam Fairbairn, the national secretary for the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, said: “We’ve had enough lies and spin from this government. In one of the richest countries on the planet no one should have to worry about accessing decent, free, publicly provided healthcare which for 70 years our NHS has done.
“But unless we all do something now to hold this government to account our NHS as we know it won’t last another five years, let alone another 70.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “As part of our long-term plan for the NHS we will increase funding by an average 3.4% per year – meaning that by 2023-24 it will receive £20.5bn a year more than it currently does.”
Saturday’s protest was organised by groups including the People’s Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, the TUC and 11 other health trade unions.
The former Coronation Street actors Julie Hesmondhalgh and Sally Lindsay were expected to attend, along with the ska legend Rhoda Dakar, who will perform at the rally.
NHSNHS
ProtestProtest
Jeremy CorbynJeremy Corbyn
Health policyHealth policy
Public services policyPublic services policy
HealthHealth
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content