****THIS IS AN ARCHIVED WEBPAGE****
****The information below relates to past actions****
**** Please feel free to browse!!****
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Archived 20th April 2023
KONPNE puts formal questions to full Council meetings
A road sign welcoming people to England and Northumberland. Northumberland is a county in North East England. The northernmost county of England, it borders Cumbria to the west, County Durham and Tyne and Wear to the south and the Scottish Borders to the north.
Date 10/04/2018 COUNCIL FORCED TO DENY CLAIMS THEIR STREET LIGHTS CAUSE CANCER, MISCARRIAGES AND NOSE BLEEDS Gateshead Council has been forced to deny claims that their STREET LIGHTS cause cancer, miscarriages and nose bleeds. Gateshead Council has released an official statement after “conspiracy theories” began circulating on social media about the lights being fitted with 5G technology and killing birds and insects. The statement reads: “We are aware that certain individuals are frightening local people with false stories about the street lights in Gateshead despite the fact we, and others, have told them repeatedly that their allegations are entirely false. “For your reassurance, we’d like to set the record straight. “Gateshead Council DOES NOT use 5G technology in any of its street lights, or in any other capacity. It has never done so.”The street lights in Gateshead will not give you cancer. See copy By North News
North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (NENC ICS) is responsible for commissioning all health care in the region, from 1st July 2022. We have massive concerns about this new system – see our webpage here.
Over the last 6 months, NHS campaigners in the North East put formal questions to seven North East councils to determine their stance on this development – given that the ICSs are under instruction from NHS England, our local Councillors are our representatives regarding this new programme, and we need to ensure that they are accountable in standing up for our NHS.
CLICK HERE
to read the responses from Durham, Sunderland, Newcastle, Northumberland. Gateshead and South Tyneside Councils
AND
the shameful response from North Tyneside Council
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Archived 20th April 2023
Support the “Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign”
Web: www.savesouthtynesidehospital.org
facebook: SaveSouthTynesideHospital
Twitter: @SaveSTHospital
Phone: 07963 506 451
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Archived 20th April 2023
OUR NHS STAFF DESERVE BETTER – THIS “PAY RISE” IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH
CLICK HERE
to sign the change.org petition
CLICK HERE
to join “NHS Workers Say NO! to Public Sector pay inequality” facebook group
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Archived 20th April 2023
Protect the Right to Strike: Sign the TUC / Megaphone petition
Our right to strike is under attack.
Rishi Sunak has detailed his anti-union legislation and plans to introduce new laws in the coming weeks. It means that when workers democratically vote to strike, they could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t. That’s wrong, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal. These new laws are a direct attack on working people’s fundamental right to strike to defend their pay, terms and conditions.
CLICK HERE
to sign the TUC / Megaphone petition
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Archived 26th March 2023
Health – Having Your Say
Saturday 25th March 2023 , Hexham
One of a season of in-person panel discussions on Housing, Health and Climate, organised and chaired by Tynedale Transformed in partnership with The Hexham Debates.
At Saturdays session on Health, the organisers have invited panellists from the region – including Jude Letham (KONPNE Co-ordinator) – plus speakers from the floor are warmly invited to join in a stimulating, open discussion.
Please join us on Saturday March 25th 10.00 – 12.00 at St Mary’s RC Church, Hencotes, Hexham. NE46 2EB
Thank you, see you there!
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Archived 22nd March 2023
Allelujah
Tuesday 21st March 2023, Newcastle upon Tyne
A newly-released Alan Bennett film about healthcare for older people and the possible closure of a NHS ward, starring Jennifer Saunders, Judi Dench and Russell Tovey – 24 screenings at Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and also shown at other venues throughout the North East throughout March and April….. plus a post-screening panel discussion with Jude Letham (KONPNE Co-ordinator) and health specialists from the North East at Tyneside Cinema on Tuesday 21st March at 7.45pm. Tickets for the film and discussion are still available, and can be booked here
Will be an interesting evening.
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Archived 11th March 2023
SOS NHS National Demonstration
Saturday 11th March, 12 noon, London
SOS NHS NATIONAL DEMO: ACT NOW TO SAVE OUR NHS!
The Government is quick to blame everyone and everything but themselves for the current crisis they have created in our NHS. Health Secretary, Steve Barclay told already exhausted NHS staff to work even harder if they want a pay rise. We believe it is the Government that should be working harder to fix a crisis caused by 13 years of its mismanagement.
We stand with all NHS staff forced to take strike action in order to protect the service from further damage and demand the Government changes course and finds the will to do what’s right for both staff and patients.
WE DEMAND THE GOVERNMENT FIXES THE CRISIS IN OUR NHS
CLICK HERE
for more info on the SOS NHS campaign page
&
CLICK HERE
for more info on the facebook event page
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Archived 6th March 2023
2022 VIDEO….That was the year that was…..and join the campaign NOW
Longsands, Tynemouth, 2022
CLICK HERE
to watch a short video log of the NHS Campaign in the NE throughout 2022….
and THIS IS YOUR INVITATION to join in with us THIS YEAR!!!!!!!
We give our sincere thanks to all NHS staff, and we also thank all KONPNE supporters for persistence in fighting for a publicly funded, publicly provided and publicly accountable NHS, which is available to all.
We’re now joining forces and continuing the fight. If you value the NHS, then JOIN WITH US.
x KONPNE
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Archived 27th February 2023
Join the We Own It action in London
Saturday 25th February 2023, 2 – 4pm, Parliament Square
The national campaign group “We Own It” are hosting a demonstration / event in London – to link with the Campaign against NHS outsourcing (see above).
557 people will each be provided with a pre-agreed number, representing one of the 557 people who have died from NHS privatisation. This will be an incredibly powerful visual for the press and politicians. If you are able to make it to London on that date, then that would be great – a number of supporters of KONPNE are attending this event. Attendance is all self funded – the main cost is transport, and people are arranging this themselves and we can meet up in London. For info, we are aware that some people are travelling on the following trains on Saturday 25th: 07.59 Newcastle > 11.27 London KX and 18.15 London KX > 21.41 Newcastle.
CLICK HERE
for more information about this event
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Archived 20th February 2023
Defend the Right to Strike: Newcastle march and rally
Saturday 18th February 2023, 11am Newcastle Civic Centre
This event is called by Newcastle upon Tyne TUC and Peoples Assembly North East. KONPNE have been asked to speak at the rally, and we will be proud to support this event. Meet at the KONPNE banner at the Civic Centre at 11am. ALL WELCOME.
Speakers include:
Liz Blackshaw, TUC Northern Regional Secretary
Jamie Driscoll, North of Tyne Mayor
Simon Elliott, PCS Regional Secretary
Jill Taylor, CSP (physiotherapists union)
Alex Snowdon, NEU Regional Chair
Adam Hansen, UCU Northumbria Branch Chair
Keep Our NHS Public North East
People’s Assembly North East
CLICK HERE
for the facebook event page
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Archived 12th February 2023
Register for the We Own It action in London
Saturday 25th February 2023, 2 – 4pm, Parliament Square
The national campaign group “We Own It” are hosting a demonstration / event in London – to link with the Campaign against NHS outsourcing (see above).
557 people will each be provided with a pre-agreed number, representing one of the 557 people who have died from NHS privatisation. This will be an incredibly powerful visual for the press and politicians. If you can give a rock solid commitment to this, then your help would be greatly appreciated.
CLICK HERE
for the “We Own It” London event sign up form
At the planning meeting in mid-December 2022, it was reported that 238 people from across England have already signed up for this event – it would be good to have a large North East presence. A number of supporters of KONPNE have registered with “We Own It” and are attending this event…. please register on the link above and join us! Attendance is all self funded – the main cost is transport, and people are arranging this themselves and we can meet up in London. For info, we are aware that some people are travelling on the following trains on Saturday 25th: 07.59 Newcastle > 11.27 London KX and 18.15 London KX > 21.41 Newcastle.
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Archived 1st February 2023
Protect the Right to Strike: TUC March and Rally
Wednesday 1st February 2023, Civic Centre to Grey’s Monument, Newcastle upon Tyne 11.30am
If you want a NHS, then support the NHS Strike actions….and protect the right to strike.
KONPNE are proud to support the TUC Northern March and Rally – see you at the KONPNE banner on Wednesday in Newcastle and remember: NHS staff are striking for fairness regarding pay, our health, and the future of #OURNHS
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Archived 30th January 2023
National Day of Action: The NHS Crisis is a Crisis of Government:
Saturday 28th January 2023, 11 – 1, Newcastle upon Tyne
The Tory Government are quick to blame everyone and everything but themselves for the current crisis they have created in our NHS. Health Secretary, Steve Barclay told already exhausted NHS staff to work even harder if they want a pay rise.
We believe it is Steve Barclay and the Conservative Government who should be working harder to fix the current NHS crisis that is now costing lives at an unprecedented rate. The NHS Crisis is a Crisis of Government,
Join with us in demanding an end to the crisis and showing our support for striking NHS staff. Help is needed on the information stall and leafletting – we have leaflets, the “We Own It” petitions and posters, and your assistance is appreciated in getting the word out. If you can help on the day, please email us at konpnortheast@gmail.com or turn up at the stall – we will be in the Grey’s Monument / Northumberland Street area of Newcastle upon Tyne. Thankyou.
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Archived 11th January 2023
A sincere ThankYou to all NHS staff
KONP Santa’s and reindeer called in at University Hospital of North Durham (Durham), Freeman Hospital (Newcastle), North Tyneside General Hospital (North Shields), Royal Victoria Infirmary (Newcastle), Sunderland Royal (Sunderland) and a representative number of GP practices across the region
Our special edition KONP Christmas ThankYou Cards to NHS staff….
….they won’t shorten the waiting list, or improve working conditions, or put money in the wage packet – but, as the year comes to a close, they are a small way of demonstrating a huge Thank You. These unique cards were very well-received by surprised NHS staff at five hospital sites and at a number of GP practices in the North East.
Of course, we couldn’t get everywhere and our SINCERE THANKS go to ALL staff across the region and in ALL departments. You go the extra mile for us throughout the year, at a challenging time and often in difficult circumstances, and we give our SINCERE THANKS.
From all at Keep Our NHS Public North East and Keep Our NHS Public Sunderland and District
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Archived 18th December 2022
North Shields Rally in support of NHS Strikes
The National Shop Stewards Network (NE) is hosting the second in a sequence of two rallies supporting the NHS strikes – North Shields, on Saturday 17th December at 1pm. All trade unionists, patients & health workers are welcome. Speakers from a range of health Unions plus KONP North East. Meet outside the Beacon Centre in Bedford Street, North Shields.
These rallies are proudly supported by Keep Our NHS Public North East. Important to be in North Shields on Saturday to stand alongside our NHS
INFO: Click here for the NE NSSN facebook event page
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Archived 28th November 2022
Provide feedback to North East and North Cumbria ICS about the draft Strategy
Respond by Thursday 25th November 2022
North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System has produced a draft strategy, and are inviting responses by Thursday 25th November 2022. Please view this document and email your comments. There are a number of important issues to consider highlighting, including *the need for the NHS to be the default provider of services, to work towards decreasing outsourcing *a commitment to providing a free and comprehensive health service to all *no private sector representation on NHS decision-making bodies *Emergency Care for all – no need to be registered with a NE GP *commitment to nationally agreed pay and conditions for staff, and commitment to work alongside Unions. Click here (and scroll to part 2) to read more about our concerns.
It is crucial that your views are made clear to the ICS.
CLICK HERE
for links to the ICS Draft Strategy and ICS email address
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Archived 24th November 2022
Leafletting / “We Own It” NHS petition
Saturday 19th November 2022, Whitley Bay and North Shields
Your assistance is needed in helping to leaflet / asking people to sign the “We Own It” anti-privatisation petition.
10.30am – meet at the red phone box, top of Station Road, outside Whitley Bay Metro Station – we plan to (possibly) walk through the town centre and along the promenade towards Cullercoats (weather permitting….)
1pm – join us on Bedford Street, North Shields (we will be stopping around the main shopping area)
…..come and join us, at one location or both, even if for 30 mins or so. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
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Archived 16th November 2022
Three questions to put to our Councillors
Our Councillors need to have the NHS at the forefront of their minds….and if don’t see your representatives face to face, please click here for email addresses….
WE NEED COUNCILLORS WHO ARE ACTIVE IN PROTECTING OUR NHS!!
a) What will you do to encourage local NHS commissioning services to keep healthcare within the NHS? (Over the last decade, £96 billion has been paid to private companies for NHS services – privatisation puts profits before patients).
b) How will you work to increase democracy in local health structures? (The Health and Care Bill reduces the contributions of councillors and local people on NHS decision-making bodies)
c) What are you doing to fight for fair pay for all NHS staff? (The current pay offer of 3% is derisory and unacceptable. It is not surprising that there are 100,000 vacancies in the NHS – an average nurse in the UK has lost 20% of income over the past 10 years)
….and please let us know responses at konpnortheast@gmail.com – thank you!
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Archived 16th November 2022
SOS NHS Conference: End the NHS Crisis
Saturday 12 November 2022, 10am – 5pm, online and in person
This is a hybrid event – online and in person
We believe that the SOS NHS Conference in 2022 will be a vital opportunity to bring together and mobilise key campaigners and all NHS supporters to create a solid and actionable vision to save our NHS.
The NHS is failing, not because of inherent flaws, but because the Government wants it to fail. Neither the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, the Health and Care Act, or Jeremy Hunt’s recent proposals for ‘virtual wards’ will deliver what we need. We demand a health and care service fit for all – and we invite you to play a part in winning just that.
CLICK HERE
for info and tickets
This is a hybrid event – online and in person
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Archived 8th November 2022
National Demonstration called by Peoples Assembly;
Saturday 5th November 2022 @ 12 noon, London
SAVE THE DATE!!!
Remember, remember the 5th of November! In the autumn the cost of living crisis will reach new depths. Join us in telling the government: we won’t pay! Wages up, bills down, Tories out!
#CostOfLivingCrisis
#WagesUpBillsDown
Coach from Newcastle central station 6am
Pick up Durham Gilesgate roundabout outside Army Reserve Centre 6:30am
Book Tickets £40/£20 via Eventbrite here and facebook event is here
Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/633286188247869 for info about the NHS bloc
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Archived 23rd October 2022
Northern Conference – Campaigning for Health and Social Care;
Saturday 22nd October 2022, 11am – 4pm, Leeds
This conference is hosted by Leeds KONP and will take place at St George’s Conference Centre, 60 Great George St. LS1 3DL, behind Leeds Town Hall, next to the LGI, adjacent to St. George’s Church
Come to share ideas, take heart from growing resistance, revitalise our campaigning and build solidarity.
Speakers include Sally Ruane (Deputy Director of the Health and Policy Research Unit, De Montfort University and member of KONP’s Executive Cttee), Colin Hutchinson (Chair of Doctors for the NHS and Calderdale Councillor) and Felicity Dowling (Save Liverpool Women’s Hospital Campaign) plus trade union activists, northern health campaigners, disabled activists and other groups.
Registration, lunch and refreshments are provided free but donations welcome.
We confirm that members of KONPNE have booked for this important regional Conference, so you won’t be alone from the North East!! All from the NE who believe in a publicly-provided NHS and an improved and equitable social care system are warmly welcomed. It would be good to have a sizeable contingent from the area!! Please go ahead, reserve your place with the Leeds organisers on the link provided, arrange your transport, let us know your plans and we meet up at the venue in Leeds.
If you would like to co-ordinate your travel with other KONPNE members, then some people are booked on the following trains- Outward: 09.00 Newcastle to York (London Kings Cross train), then 10.08 York to Leeds Return: 17.16 Leeds to York, then 17.56 York to Newcastle. It would be great if you are able to join us.
CLICK HERE
for information and to reserve your Conference place
For information, Leeds KONP facebook is here
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Archived 15th September 2022
JOIN A PATIENTS NOT PASSPORTS INTRODUCTORY MEETING
15th September 2022, 7pm – 8.30pm
To get up to speed with the Patients Not Passports Campaign, please attend the next “New Joiners” meeting, hosted by the national organisation Medact – 15th September 2022, 7pm – 8.30pm. At this meeting, info will be provided on how NHS Charging takes place, how we can fight back, and the different ways to get involved.
CLICK HERE
to sign up for a meeting
and
HOSPITALS SHOULD NOT BE A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT
Keep Our NHS Public has campaigned against the introduction of NHS charges for migrants since the introduction of charges in 2014.
CLICK HERE
to go to our webpage NHS and Migration – Fight Racism and Defend Migrants for information about how you can help
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Archived 5th September 2022
Keep hospital parking free for all NHS staff – sign the petitions
Nurses, doctors, cleaners, porters and all NHS staff should not have to pay extortionate fees just to go to work. Adding this extra financial stress on staff will only fan the flames of the NHS staffing crisis. Staff, patients and visitors get free parking at NHS hospitals in Scotland and Wales – it should be free in England too.
CLICK HERE
to sign the “Organise” petition
&
CLICK HERE
to sign the “Doctors Assoc UK” petition, co-presented by KONP
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Archived 31st August 2022
Oppose Centene Corporation taking over more GP practices
“We Own It” petition:
Centene Corporation, an American health insurance giant, has recently taken over AT Medics, a primary care provider responsible for 49 GP surgeries and over 370,000 patients in the Greater London area.
Before these new acquisitions Operose Health, Centene’s UK subsidiary, was already running GP practices in Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Luton, Birmingham, etc. totalling 21 surgeries and practices.
With a total of 70 GP surgeries and practices, Centene is almost certainly the largest single provider of NHS primary care in England. Check whether your GP surgery is now owned by Centene.
Even the Daily Mail has called Centene a “profit greedy American health giant”. Sign the petition and oppose the take-over of our GP surgeries by Centene or any other corporation.
Your GP’s surgery might be next – wherever you live
CLICK HERE
to get involved
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Archived 20th July 2022
Formal question to North Tyneside Council at the full Council meeting
((Thursday 21st July 2022, 6pm))
***UPDATE***QUESTION REFUSED FOR COUNCIL MEETING***SEE BELOW***
North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (NENC ICS) is responsible for commissioning all health care in the region, from 1st July 2022. We have massive concerns about this new system – see our webpage here.
NHS campaigners in the North East are putting formal questions to seven North East councils to determine their stance on this development – given that the ICSs are under instruction from NHS England, our local Councillors are our representatives regarding this new programme, and we need to ensure that they are accountable in standing up for our NHS.
We started off with Durham County Council and Sunderland City Council in June (click here and scroll to 22nd June), and then Newcastle City Council in early July (click here and scroll to 6th July). Our next question (click here to read the question) will be put to North Tyneside Council by KONPNE Co-ordinator and North Tyneside resident Jude Letham. We have submitted our question, and hope that this will be listed for a response at this Council meeting. The meeting starts at 6pm – we will provide the youtube link to watch live or, better still, please support Jude from the viewing gallery in the Council Chamber (North Tyneside Council, Quadrant, The Silverlink North, Cobalt Business Park, North Tyneside, NE27 0BY) .
UPDATE 13.7.22: We have, today, received the following message from North Tyneside Council:
“The Chair of Council considered your question for the Council meeting 21 July 2022 and decided that it be referred to officers to respond to you directly. Your question will NOT be considered at the meeting next week”.
14.7.22: We have emailed the Council for more information about this decision. We feel that it is our democratic right to put questions to our elected representatives at a full Council meeting, and we await their response.
CLICK HERE
to read our VERY REASONABLE and APPROPRIATE question to North Tyneside Council
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Archived 14th July 2022
Contact the Chair of “North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System”, and copy in key decision-makers
From 1st July 2022 our NHS across England will be reorganised. England will be divided into 42 new NHS bodies called Integrated Care Systems (ICS).
After 14,000 We Own It supporters emailed NHS leaders in the last few weeks, the chairs of 7 ICSs have come out and pledged that private companies won’t sit on their boards.
The 7 ICSs are:
Bath & North East Somerset Swindon & Wiltshire ICS // Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire ICS // Sussex ICS // Birmingham & Solihull ICS // Hertfordshire & West Essex ICS // South East London ICS // Suffolk and North East Essex ICS.
We need to get the “North East and North Cumbria ICS” signed up to the pledge – no private companies on ICS Boards.
1387
So far 1387 people in the North East have joined in the “We Own It” campaign and, additionally, many people have used the national KONP materials. All have written to the Chair of the new “North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System” (the organisation to commission all health care in the region from 1st July this year) to demand the pledge: NO PRIVATE COMPANIES ON ICS BOARDS.
For this campaign, our local KONPNE group is using the materials devised and supplied by both national KONP and also the national campaign group “We Own It”. We need to make it clear to that we are against any further privatisation of NHS services within the new “North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System” (NENC ICS).
The aim is for the Chair of the NENC ICS Board to be crystal clear about your views. Please click here to go to our “Integrated Care System” webpage, and scroll to sections 2 and 3. Please share this action with your family, friends, colleagues and contacts on your social media.
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Archived 10th July 2022
Durham Miners Gala
Saturday 9th July, Durham
The Durham Miners Gala returns after a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2022 Gala is dedicated to all key workers – carers and bus drivers, delivery workers and nurses, shop staff and teachers, everyone who has risked their lives to keep society functioning throughout the pandemic will be celebrated.
Over the past five Gala’s, we have distributed KONP leaflets and Health Campaigns Together newspapers across the site and helped at the Health Campaigns Together stall in one of the marquees….and this year is no exception…..
We need your assistance…. please contact us at konpnortheast@gmail.com
CLICK HERE
to go to the Durham Miners Gala facebook page
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Archived 10th July 2022
Formal question to Newcastle City Council at the full Council meeting
Wednesday 6th July 2022, 6pm
North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (NENC ICS) is responsible for commissioning all health care in the region, from 1st July 2022. We have massive concerns about this new system – see our webpage here.
NHS campaigners in the North East are putting formal questions to seven North East councils to determine their stance on this development – given that the ICSs are under instruction from NHS England, our local Councillors are our representatives regarding this new programme, and we need to ensure that they are accountable in standing up for our NHS.
We started off with Durham County Council and Sunderland City Council in June (click here and scroll to 22nd June). Our next question will be put to Newcastle City Council by KONPNE campaigner and Newcastle resident Clare Bethell. We have submitted our question, and hope that this will be listed for a response at this Council meeting. The meeting starts at 6pm – click here to watch live or, better still, please support Clare from the viewing gallery at Newcastle Civic Centre.
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Archived 3rd July 2022
Rally, speakers, music, poetry –IF YOU WANT AN NHS, YOU NEED TO BE AN NHS ACTIVIST
Saturday 2nd July 2022, 12 noon, Grey’s Monument, Newcastle upon Tyne
National day of action to mark 74 years of healthcare by the NHS….and the start of the “Integrated Care System”
THERE’S STILL TIME TO PROTECT OUR NHS
⇒ ⇒ HOSTED BY Keep Our NHS Public North East
⇒ ⇒ SPEAKERS: Dr Helen Groom (Patients Not Passports), John Harrison (Disabled People Against Cuts), Sean Fahey (North East Pensioners Association), William Jarrett (Unite the Union), Angela Robinson (NHS Nurse – retired), Caitlin Southern (North East Peoples Assembly), Dr Gerard Reissmann (Newcastle GP – retired), Jude Letham (Keep Our NHS Public North East)
⇒ ⇒ POETRY: KONPNE are pleased to welcome Cullercoats Poet Harry Gallagher. His book “Northern Lights” is a love letter to the people of the North, a region often buffeted and battered by stormy conditions but which in the end always prevails.
⇒ ⇒ MUSIC: KONPNE are also pleased to welcome musician JohnE Thornton. He has worked in the NHS for 10 years, and is now well-known on the Newcastle and coastal scene for the music gigs he hosts and plays in.
HELP NEEDED ON THE DAY: We need 20 people to join our NHS rally team on the 2nd July, at 12 noon for one and a half hours. We will encircle the Monument with banners about the new Integrated Care System (commissioning all care in the NE from 1st July 2022) – and all we ask is that you (with another person) holds one of our prepared 2m-long banners.
Are you free to help??!!
Then please let us know at konpnortheast@gmail.com !! THANKYOU
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Archived 23rd June 2022
Questions to full Council meetings – Durham County Council (10am) / Sunderland City Council (4pm); Wednesday 22nd June 2022
North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (NENC ICS) is responsible for commissioning all health care in the region, from 1st July 2022. We have massive concerns about this new system – see our webpage here.
NHS campaigners in the North East are putting formal questions to seven North East councils to determine their stance on this development – given that the ICSs are under instruction from NHS England, our local Councillors are our representatives regarding this new programme, and we need to ensure that they are accountable in standing up for our NHS.
We start off with Durham County Council and also Sunderland City Council, both meetings taking place on Wednesday 22nd June 2022.
>> KONPNE campaigner Dr Lawrence Welch is presenting the following to Durham County Council. The meeting starts at 10am – click here for the Council papers and the link to watch live.
“I speak on behalf of “Keep Our NHS Public North East”.
Further to the Health and Care Act 2022, “North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System” will be responsible for commissioning all healthcare for County Durham from the beginning of July this year, and I am aware that plans from NHS England outline a much-reduced Councillor and public involvement in decision-making regarding our future health services.
Please outline what Durham County Council is doing to promote local participation and scrutiny regarding decision-making, and please confirm that Durham County Council upholds the principle that the NHS must be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of use and based on the clinical needs of patients – not on the new Integrated Care Boards financial considerations”.
>> Laura Murrell, Secretary of Sunderland and District KONP has submitted the following question to Sunderland City Council. The meeting starts at 4pm – click here for the Council papers and here for the link to to the live stream
“The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System” (NENC ICS) will be responsible for commissioning all healthcare for Sunderland from the 1st July 2022.
I believe it will result in a much-reduced involvement by councillors and the public in decision-making regarding our future health services. However, private companies can be members of the ICS Board and its other bodies, so they will be able to participate in decisions about how the ICS budget is spent and what services will be delivered to whom and by whom, increasing their influence and making it more likely that they will provide NHS services.
Please could you explain what Sunderland City Council is doing to promote local participation and scrutiny regarding decision-making by the ICS; to ensure that the ICS does not permit private sector representatives to participate in decision making on its board, committees or other bodies with delegated powers; and what it can do to encourage the ICS to end the outsourcing and privatisation of NHS services.”
>> Next up is KONPNE campaigner Clare Bethell and Newcastle City Council on Wednesday 6th July at 6pm – we are in the process of formulating our question and will let you know when this has been accepted. Watch this space.
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Archived 20th June 2022
TUC National Demonstration – We Demand Better
Saturday 18th June, 12 noon, London
On Saturday 18 June, the trade union movement, campaign groups and supporters will be taking to the streets to demand action on the cost of living crisis.
The government needs to act now, and it’s important that we come together on 18 June to speak out. KONPNE will be marching with thousands of people from all over the UK, followed by rally in Parliament Square. JOIN US!
NHS Bloc
16.6.22 NOTE CHANGE OF ASSEMBLY POINT – The SOS NHS BLOC supporting the TUC demonstration will now assemble from 11am on the corner of Duchess Street and Portland Place. Look out for the KONP and SOS NHS gazebo!! We’ll be joining some of the many groups that support SOS NHS, bringing placards, banners and are getting ready to make lots of noise for the NHS. Facebook page is here
TUC info
CLICK HERE
for more information from the TUC website
Archived 12th June 2022
“Rebuild Our NHS” campaign – We need your help – please order and deliver leaflets to your street / locality
From 1st July 2022 our NHS across England will be reorganised. England will be divided into 42 new NHS bodies called Integrated Care Systems (ICS).
After 14,000 We Own It supporters emailed NHS leaders in the last few weeks, the chairs of 7 ICSs have come out and pledged that private companies won’t sit on their boards.
The 7 ICSs are:
Bath & North East Somerset Swindon & Wiltshire ICS // Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire ICS // Sussex ICS // Birmingham & Solihull ICS // Hertfordshire & West Essex ICS // South East London ICS // Suffolk and North East Essex ICS.
We need to get the “North East and North Cumbria ICS” signed to to this pledge
Please click here to order free leaflets from “We Own It” – these will be posted to your address, for you to deliver to houses in your street or locality, or for you to distribute via an organisational street stall, etc. The leaflet is as follows:
You can read up on the background to ICSs on our website here and remember: If we don’t fight to protect our NHS, we will always lose. But if we fight we have a chance of winning.
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Archived 27th May 2022
What next for the NHS? Join the online Rally with national Keep Our NHS Public
Wednesday 25th May @ 7pm via ZOOM
The Health & Care Act has now passed into law. Waiting lists are at a record high. The staffing crisis is deepening. NHS workers still haven’t received the pay rise they deserve. Private companies’ parasitic hold on our health care is increasing. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Campaigners, workers and patients must come together to remind ourselves why the NHS is worth fighting for, and how we can win.
CLICK HERE
for the Registration link on ZOOM
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Archived 19th May 2022
12:
WE STRONGLY OPPOSED THE “HEALTH AND CARE BILL” – FIND OUT WHY
The Health and Care Bill will bring about MORE American-style privatisation of our health service, it will give private companies BIGGER roles in decision-making and MORE contracts will be awarded without any checks and balances. There is no doubt about it – this government is hellbent on the further involvement of the private sector in our health service.
We need an NHS run for the public, not profit, and amendments must be made to this Bill as it passes through Parliament
CLICK HERE
for information about the Health and Care Bill
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**************UPDATE: 27th APRIL 2022*************
Government passes Health and Care Bill
An Act of denial that endangers the NHS
Click here to read the KONP Statement
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Archived 10th May 2022
North Tyneside residents access to services via digital technology – fill the survey
Moving away from our recent activity on Longsands to a very different kind of surfing….North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group has recently commissioned Northumbria University to carry out a survey relating to residents access to digital technology. The researchers comment that “we want to gather as much information on digital technology use to inform a digital plan for North Tyneside. This information will also be used to help to shape how people access future services. When referring to digital technology, we mean the devices used to access the internet, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, smart speakers, etc.”
Whilst there is a place for digital technology in public services, it is crucial that quality of healthcare is not undermined. The prolonged underfunding of the NHS, staff shortages, and the ongoing cuts to services, coupled with the Covid pandemic, have all impacted on the NHS, and the increased use of digital technology must not be used as an inadequate quick-fix. Nor must it be used as a backdoor for increased NHS privatisation. We are aware that, in early 2020, the very same North Tyneside CCG awarded the private company “Livi” an initial contract to carry out virtual consultations in Primary Care. This company has very recently been given a 5 year contract, and this move is undoubtedly part of a very slippery privatisation slope: Livi claims to be Europe’s largest digital healthcare provider – see here.
So, North Tyneside residents, please fill out the survey at the following link: https://northumbria.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/resident-survey
Question 34 is freetext, and supporters of KONPNE have recorded their huge concern about the health inequalities that may be heightened through increased digital technology (some patients can’t use such technology, or can’t afford to use it), the decreased continuity of care brought about through virtual consultations with private health companies, and the misdiagnoses (symptoms are more accurately assessed at a face-to-face consultation). And, of course, the reality that many digital healthcare platforms are underpinned by finance from private companies, all eager to placate the shareholder… Other supporters may wish to highlight these and other important issues.
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Archived 10th May 2022
Johnson: Don’t scrap free covid testing and isolation – sign the petition from Co-Chair of KONP
“Both common sense and science dictate that now is not the time to scrap PCR test centres, free lateral flow tests, self-isolation or collection of coronavirus surveillance data”. Dr John Puntis, Co-Chair of KONP
CLICK HERE
to sign the petition
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Archived 8th May 2022
Three questions to put to prospective (and established!) Councillors
Knock knock….
At this time of the year, we can guess who’s there….
Here’s three key questions to put to prospective Councillors – or, indeed, all Councillors even if they are not facing an election this year….and if there is no knock on the door, please click here for email addresses of current Councillors….
WE NEED COUNCILLORS WHO ARE ACTIVE IN PROTECTING OUR NHS!!
a) What will you do to encourage local NHS commissioning services to keep healthcare within the NHS? (Over the last decade, £96 billion has been paid to private companies for NHS services – privatisation puts profits before patients).
b) How will you work to increase democracy in local health structures? (The Health and Care Bill reduces the contributions of councillors and local people on NHS decision-making bodies)
c) What are you doing to fight for fair pay for all NHS staff? (The current pay offer of 3% is derisory and unacceptable. It is not surprising that there are 100,000 vacancies in the NHS – an average nurse in the UK has lost 20% of income over the past 10 years)
….and please let us know responses at konpnortheast@gmail.com – thank you!
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Archived 5th May 2022
PROTECT THE RIGHT TO PROTEST – THE POLICE AND CRIME BILL
Success in the Lords in January 2022 – but the Campaign continues to the Commons. Through the “Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill”, the government may still make important changes to the law that will restrict the right to protest.
“The whole point of protest is that it does have an impact and may well cause unease or annoyance to those who do not agree with its aims. The value of our freedom to assemble peacefully and express our views is supremely important, and is protected in law by the Human Rights Act 1998″. National KONP 23rd March 2021
CLICK HERE
for more information / public petitions
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Archived 22nd April 2022:
Stop the Vaccine Manufacturing Centre Sell Off
The Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre was launched in 2018 using public money. The centre develops vaccines to help the UK deal with pandemics like COVID 19.
The Financial Times has just EXPOSED the government’s secret plans to sell off this crucial vaccine manufacturing centre – but a final decision has not yet been made, which means you can still stop the sell off if you act now.
Sign this petition from “We Own It” and tell the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng: Stop the sell off of the Vaccination Manufacturing and Innovation Centre.
CLICK HERE
to sign the petition
and
CLICK HERE
to read the article in The Lowdown (6th January 2022)
and CLICK HERE
for The Lowdown article (30th March 2022)
Update: 27th March 2022: Following lobbying by Keep Our NHS Public, We Own It and the Socialist Health Association, Oxford City Council has now unanimously passed a motion against the sale of the Centre. But we need to keep the pressure up. Some news papers are reporting that a sale of the Centre could happen in the next month, and there are rumours that exclusive talks have begun with a buyer. If you have not done so already, please add your name to the thousands of others supporting this campaign and help stop the privatisation of vaccine development.
6th April 2022 – Vaccine Centre Sold off. The £200m government-funded vaccine manufacturing centre has been sold to a private pharmaceutical company – the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC) in Harwell, Oxfordshire, has been sold to Catalent. Click here for the BBC item
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Archived 7th April 2022:
LIVID – North Tyneside on the slippery privatisation slope
In early 2020, the private firm Livi was awarded a one-year contract to carry out virtual consultations in Primary Care in North Tyneside. This is undoubtedly part of a very slippery privatisation slope: Livi claims to be Europe’s largest digital healthcare provider.
North Tyneside CCG has now evaluated this one-year pilot period, and has decided to “extend the Livi pilot contract while it procures a ‘Complementary GP Video Consultation Service’ for North Tyneside”.
Unsurprisingly, members of KONPNE remain angry that North Tyneside CCG have seen fit to extend this contract to this private business for a further period, and members remain wary that the future procurement of this or a similar service will firmly embed privatised services within Primary Care across the Borough. There is no doubt that our Primary Care services require more resources and investment, and this should now be provided to existing, localised GP services – North Tyneside CCG should not be wasting taxpayers money by contracting out to private, profit making companies with shareholders.
CLICK HERE
to read the recent KONPNE responses (3rd November 2021) to North Tyneside CCGs “evaluation” of Livi
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Archived 7th April 2022:
5 MILLION WAITING – Sign the “We Own It” petition re the NHS waiting list
Patients in every town and city are forced to endure lengthening waits for treatment, often in debilitating pain, and NHS clinicians are working flat out to try to cope with demand. Waiting list statistics reveal a health service in crisis, struggling without adequate resources and staff. It is clear that, in addition to the pressures brought about by the Covid pandemic, we are now also paying the price for the ongoing cuts and closures, and the failure to support the NHS and staff over past years.
The long waiting lists for care are UNACCEPTABLE.
CLICK HERE
to find out more and to go to the “We Own It” website
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Archived 2nd April 2022:
MISCONDUCT IN PUBLIC OFFICE; Read (and circulate) the findings of The People’s Covid Inquiry, plus report to Police Commissioner Cressida Dick
In the absence of a formal public inquiry into the pandemic, The People’s Covid Inquiry organised by national Keep Our NHS Public began in February 2021, took place over 9 sessions and concluded it’s hearings in the summer. It covered all aspects of the government’s handling of the pandemic and heard testimony from a wide range of people and organisations. These included previous government advisors and key academics, as well as frontline workers and bereaved family members. The Inquiry was chaired by world renowned human rights barrister Michael Mansfield QC who, together with a panel of experts, delivered their findings and recommendations on all main aspects of the pandemic to date.
The People’s Covid Inquiry presented the finished report “Misconduct in Public Office” in December 2021 and, later in the same month, Dr Tony O’Sullivan and Dr John Puntis, Co-Chairs of National KONP, wrote to Police Commissioner Cressida Dick re Governments gross negligence and misconduct in public office, requesting that she authorises an investigation of the facts with a view to considering prosecutions. Misconduct in public office is an offence under common law defined as where there is wilful neglect of duty ‘to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder.’ The report also suggests there may be the offence of corporate manslaughter.
CLICK HERE
to read the findings of The People’s Covid Inquiry “Misconduct in Public Office” and the letter to the Police Commissioner
…and then share the link and our facebook and twitter posts – our thanks go to national Keep Our NHS Public for all of their hard work in gathering this huge body of evidence, to the contributors for standing up and being counted, and to all involved in bringing this information into the public domain. At our KONPNE meeting of 2nd December 2021, it was agreed that we write to national KONP to give our thanks, and it is now up to us all to circulate this information widely.
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***Archived April 2022:
THE CURRENT SITUATION: HOUSE OF LORDS
23rd November 2021: 304,761 signatures – the collective petitions of “Keep Our NHS Public”, “We Own It”, “Just Treatment” and “Your NHS Needs You”, all against the Health and Care Bill.
The Bill is now at the House of Lords, where there are opportunities to fight for amendments and to build greater public opposition to force the government to back down on their plans. Our Campaign focus at the current time is thus at the Lords. We are continuing to ramp up our campaign to fight this corporate takeover of our NHS, and our campaign to liaise with members of the Lords is in progress – please scroll to Part 3 of this webpage for information about writing to the Lords and, also, please sign and circulate the “We Own It” petition. Importantly, please continue to get the message out far and wide.
The Committee Stage of the Health and Care Bill has now come to a close in the Lords, and the dates have been announced for the Report Stage – which is when key votes will take place on amendments proposed to the bill. This stage will begin on 28th February, and conclude on 9th March. There is still time to write to key peers and to sign the petitions – please scroll to Part 3 below, to find out how you can help.
It is anticipated that the Bill will be passed back from the House of Lords to the Commons in March 2022, before being enacted in April 2022.
Parliamentary process: You can keep track of the Parliamentary process and find more info on the progress of the Health and Care Bill by scrolling down to Part 8 of this webpage and, also, by clicking on the Parliament website here
⇒ Sign the joint letter to the Lords
The House of Lords must protect our NHS; amendments to the Health and Care Bill are about to go to the vote.
Crucial that you
CLICK HERE
for info and to show your support for Amendments
also
⇒ SIGN THE “WE OWN IT” HOUSE OF LORDS PETITION
This Bill, currently being considered in the House of Lords, will mean MORE American-style privatisation of our health service. The plans will give private companies BIGGER roles in decision-making and MORE contracts without any checks and balances. This government is hellbent on involving the private sector in our health service further.
THE REALITY: These new plans would 1) Allow private companies like Deloitte to sit on boards that make decisions about how to spend NHS money 2) Introduce the American model into our NHS where unaccountable decision making bodies prioritise profit margins and making savings over caring for people’s health. This model is likely to lead to cuts and closures of NHS hospitals and A&E 3) Push more people to go private as cuts are made. Patients have already been promised greater rights to choose private treatment and have it paid for by the NHS 4) Open the door to more cronyism – yet more contracts would be given to government pals like Serco, as we’ve seen in the pandemic, but without any competition – that’s what the government means by ‘reducing bureaucracy’ 5) Encourage private companies to take the NHS to court if they’re unhappy.
We need to show the Government that this is not acceptable: we want an NHS run for the public, not profit, and amendments must be made to this Bill as it passes through Parliament
To sign the “We Own It” House of Lords petition
CLICK HERE
and also
⇒ WRITE TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS
The Bill is currently at the House of Lords and, in line with other campaign groups including “We Own It”, we are targetting the 188 cross-bench peers who sit in the Lords to gain their support for crucial amendments. These peers are not aligned to a specific political party. Please write a short and warm email to up to 5 peers now, by following the following steps –
1) email us at konpnortheast@gmail.com, stating how many peers you are happy to write to (up to 5 – see reasons below), and we will email you with names and email addresses
2) compose your emails: include
a – Clarify that you are writing about the Health and Care Bill. Also, tell them that your email is not part of any mass emailing, but your personal email to them because you care about this issue.
b – Inform them why this issue is important to you (eg: very briefly, in one or two short sentences, describe your or your family NHS treatment or eg your work in the NHS)
c – Tell them why you think they will do the right thing. Do a quick google search on your peer, and identify one or two of his / her interests. Alternatively, click on https://www.theyworkforyou.com/ to find one good thing about your peer. Adding something positive allows them to feel like they’re appreciated (NB Do not spend long researching this – a cursory mention is all that is needed to personalise the email a little eg: “I am aware that you are a very well known member of the Lords, and that you have experience in and have demonstrated your interest in educational, environmental and health matters. I know that you speak out on a range of important key issues, and I am sure that you agree that the future of the NHS is a key and fundamental issue for us all”. )
d – Copy and paste the following: “I would like to ask you to vote for Baroness Merron’s cross-party Amendment 29 to ban people who work for or own shares in private healthcare sitting on ICS boards, and Amendment 207 by Baroness Merron and Amendment 208 by Baroness Thornton and Lord Patel to establish a presumption in favour of NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts in commissioning NHS services.”
e – Offer to send them a briefing document if they wish for further information (please contact us at KONPNE, if one is requested by the peer), thank the Peer, tell them that you hope to hear from them soon, and sign off.
3) Hit send….. and job done **Please note two technicalities: please send your emails separately (the House of Lords email system blocks mass mailings of over 6) and if your Peer(s) has a generic House of Lords email address (contactholmember@parliament.uk), then please add FAO (and then name your Peer) in the subject box of your email.
Please do everything you can to support this action…..and remember that campaigning works!! One of our supporters received this email response from a Lord on 21st January 2022, in response to a brief email following the above format: “Thanks, I will look at those Amendments. I am very sympathetic to your points. Best wishes….”
KONPNE are grateful to Johnbosco Nwogbo at the national campaign group “We Own It” for guidance on the email content – this is much appreciated. More about the “We Own It” organisation is here
Information and guidance is also found at this excellent article from 999 Call for the NHS: Health and Care Bill Briefing for House of Lords – amendments for Committee stage
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***Archived early 2022:
Sign the joint letter and petition to the Lords and/or email up to five Lords regarding the Health and Care Bill
The House of Lords must protect our NHS; amendments to the Health and Care Bill are about to go to the vote.
Crucial that you
CLICK HERE
for info and to show your support for Amendments:
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and / or
The Health and Care Bill is currently being debated in the Lords, and we need your help in emailing up to 5 Peers. This is a very straight-forward and quick task.
CLICK HERE
and scroll to Part 3 for information
We need to stop private companies from sitting on NHS Boards and we need to ensure that NHS Trusts (and not private companies) are the default position when commissioning future services.
Please do all that you can to support this crucial action, and please get your family, friends and all contacts involved….it is not an understatement to say that the future of our NHS lies within this Bill.
Thank you, KONPNE
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***Archived January 2022:
THE NHS DATA GRAB
The Government is trying to slip through a massive change to how NHS patient data is handled. It wants to take the patient records which GPs hold on everyone in England, and enter them all into one massive database – and it wants to make this data available to “third parties” – including private companies.
CLICK HERE
for more information, to opt out and to sign the petitions
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konpnortheast.com 