Do take time to read Allyson Pollock’s new analysis of  the study that claimed cardiac care was improved by patient choice and which was used to promote the Health and Social Care Bill. Click on the link below to read.

Government claim that patient choice improves healthcare is based on flawed research, experts say

Do take a look at Allyson Pollock’s latest paper re patient choice in heart

Dear NHS Supporter

Don’t swallow this dangerous prescription

Earlier this year NHS supporters joined together to persuade the government to re-think their flawed changes to our NHS. Ministers said they had listened. They reassured us that they would “never privatise the NHS”. But changes to the health bill do not protect the NHS from privatisation – in fact they continue to encourage it. Fatal flaws remain in the bill which will threaten the future of our health service. To protect the NHS we urgently need your help.

It is vital to re-assert the huge pressure that made the government stop and rethink. Please help if you can. We still have time to stop it.

Please send this short message to your MP. Use this link to contact them by email in minutes. Make sure that MPs receive many more of these messages by forwarding this email on to your contacts.

Plans to allow private companies to run NHS are steaming ahead. The government recently announced that 1£bn worth of contracts will soon go outside the NHS. Little has changed in the health bill to stop this. Private companies are queuing up to make the most of this opportunity and have said that they will use EU competition law to speed up their access to further NHS contracts.

What happens if we don’t act?

As more private companies take over our health services how can we be sure that our health needs will come first? The basic principles of our NHS are at stake. Anybody can get care no matter what their age, or where they live. Currently our NHS offers amazing value and treats us according to our need, not our ability to pay. We need to protect these values, not undermine them.

We must act quickly as MPs will vote for the final time on the bill in on 6/7 September. If the health bill is passed, it will be more difficult to prevent the private sector from taking over a huge range of NHS services and running them for profit.

No U-turn – just spin

Despite the initial media hype, there has been no U-turn on the health bill. It is still driving us towards a free market style NHS, led by the private sector. The talk of more patient choice is distracting and can only happen with more competition and the greater involvement of the private sector. So we must help the public see what the health bill is really all about.

If you can, please support us with a donation to help us to get this message out urgently. Your support will help us to build the campaign to protect and promote a comprehensive NHS that provides care for us all.

More pressure to come

This is the biggest ever NHS shake-up, prescribed at a time of huge pressure. Health services are being cut across the country as the NHS searches for ways to meet its target to save £20bn. In tough times our NHS needs stability – not this chaotic health bill.

Allowing the private sector to compete for patients will drain funding from NHS units and local hospitals and many will close. Our healthcare is not secure in profit-motivated hands. What happens when they go bust? NHS patients could be left high and dry like the Southern Cross care home residents.

Waiting lists will rise and some areas of care will not get the funding they need. There will be more pressure to pay for our care and there will be much larger differences in the care available across the country.

We must protect our NHS; we must act together. Thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely

Paul Evans

p.s. Our website has more information and details about how to support us and we should not forget that the NHS is a lot better than its often reported to be.

Five reasons why the NHS is still being privatised

What are the experts and saying about the health bill?

This NHS U-turn was a fake: Jacky Davis

Last chance to stop the health bill: Wendy Savage

It is horrific that the NHS’s future is threatened: Sir Roger Boyle

Adopt a peer
After MPs vote again, the House of Lords will look at the health bill and could help make the changes we need. You can help by sending a short message.

Run a stall

Post leaflets to neighbours

Write to your local paper

Call a radio phone-in show

And if you have time, take a look at this article on Forth Valley and their PFI experience.