Making Good the Information Deficit

Another underwhelming "public engagement" meeting in K&C last night. Around 30 local people were greeted by 9 NHS employees tasked with drumming up support for the health cuts & closure package known as the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP). The plan affects all 190,000 K & C residents so the bureaucrats clearly have a lot to learn about reaching out to all the people. Those present asked searching questions about the projected £1.3 billion "savings" (cuts) from the scheme including the closures of CX and Ealing hospitals. It's significant that Save Our Hospitals officers have been asked to meet Imperial Chief Executive Dr Tracey Batten to discuss shortcomings in the consultation process. 

SOH Sat Stall

SOH will be on the streets again this Saturday making good the information deficit about the STP. Join us if you can.

SOH Sat Stall Sat 15th Oct 2 - 4pm Shepherds Bush Market Entrance 7 Uxbridge Rd (by Bush theatre / old library )

(see calendar attached for more stall dates)

NW London 8 Borough STP Scrutiny

Councillors from all 8 boroughs affected by the STP will scrutinise the STP after a presentation by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) this Friday.
Agenda here:
http://ealing.cmis.uk.com/ealing/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/5361/Committee/87/Default.aspx The JHOSC meeting is held in public but is not a public meeting though we hope contributions from ordinary folk will be allowed.

JHOSC meeting (STP Scrutiny) Fri 14th Oct 11am Council Chamber Ealing Town Hall

Health Select Committee inquiry into NHS finances

This parliamentary committee has started an inquiry into NHS finances in response to therecent request from NHS Providers - the trade association for NHS Foundation Trusts. They have responded to the underfunding crisis by asking the inquiry to investigate a range of chilling proposals - including ending comprehensive NHS care that's free to all at the point of use, based on people's clinical need. The suggested terms of reference are bad news reading like an attempt to normalise and validate cuts and privatisation wrapped up in a big STP bow. We have to make sure that this is not the outcome and instead push for adequate NHS Funding, an end to privatisation and a rethink of STPs. You can make your views known by emailing Health Select Committee Chair conservative MP Dr Sarah Woollaston.

Supporting Each Other North & South

STPs are planned nationwide and opposition to them will only be effective if we campaign both locally and nationally. There's an invitation to show support for the campaign to keep Epsom, Queen Mary's Children's and St Helier Hospitals open at a public meeting on Oct 20th. One of the architects of the plan to close CX Hospital Daniel Elkeles is heavily involved - it would be great if those with long memories could attend and inform SW London of the damage he intended in NW London.

Keep Our St Helier Hospital Public Meeting 20th Oct 7.30 Thomas Wall Centre 52 Benhill Avenue Sutton SM1 4DP

We had a great example of solidarity on Monday when a number of health campaigns including SOH joining up to welcome Huddersfield and Chorley hospital campaigners to London to present their huge anti-closure petition to Downing St.