AT A GLANCE:
(then scroll lower down this page for detailed information about these current Campaigns and events:
1: IF YOU WANT AN NHS, YOU NEED TO BE AN NHS ACTIVIST; Rally, speakers, music, poetry 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
2: Log onto the next KONP North East meeting – all welcome; Thursday 7th July 2022 @7pm via ZOOM
3: Durham Miners Gala – help needed on the stall / leafleting; Saturday 9th July, Durham
4: Contact the Chair of “North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System”, and copy in key decision-makers
5: Stand up for migrants. Hospitals should not be a hostile environment – join an introductory meeting; 15th September 2022 via ZOOM
6: Questions to full Council meetings – Durham County Council / Sunderland City Council / Newcastle City Council
7: Find out more about “Integrated Care Systems”
8: Three questions to put to new Councillors
9: Sajid Javid must rebuild our NHS – sign the petition
10: Keep hospital parking free for all NHS staff – sign the petitions
11: Our NHS staff deserve better – the “pay rise” is not good enough.
12: Oppose Centene Corporation taking over more GP practices
13: Access information about the NHS Campaign
14: Link to NHS Campaigning organisations – much going on…
15: Watch incisive films about the NHS
16: Follow decision-making in the North East Councils
17: Keep in touch with KONP North East
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“Almost every day I’m asked “but what can I do?” The answer is the same as it has always been. Combine with other people. Mobilise. Build the movement until it becomes big enough to reach a social tipping point. The key to resistance is persistence”. George Monbiot, 8th April 2022
WE NEED YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT – Keep Our NHS Public North East comprises, mostly, members of the general public, together with some doctors, nurses and other health professionals who believe in a publicly funded and publicly provided NHS. Your involvement in the following current Campaigns and events is very much welcomed:
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1:
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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2:
“KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC NORTH EAST” MEETING
Thursday 7th July 2022, 7pm via ZOOM
BE ACTIVE IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST NHS PRIVATISATION – Join us at the next “KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC NORTH EAST” meeting: Thursday 7th July 2022 @7pm via ZOOM.
We look forward to meeting you.
Zoom meeting ID: 880 6603 9258 / Password: campaign / Please feel free to use these to join the meeting – ALL ARE WELCOME. If you have never attended before, you will find that the meetings are open, and you are welcome to voice your thoughts and ideas, or sit back and listen – whatever suits you best.
The Campaign continues as strong as ever; the Agenda includes updates from across the NE region, update on NHS privatisation in the North East, campaign work regarding the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System, feedback on our progress in putting a formal question to each of the seven Councils in the NE at the Full Council Meetings, feedback on the London march / rally and the NHS Day of Action, updates on national events and petitions, and much more…. We will continue to fight and stand up for our NHS until it returns to be publicly accountable and publicly provided.
CLICK HERE
to read the notes from previous KONPNE meetings – scroll to the first Thursday of each month
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3:
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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4:
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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5:
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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6:
Questions to full Council meetings – Durham County Council (10am) / Sunderland City Council / Newcastle City Council
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 then Sunderland City Council, both meetings taking place on Wednesday 22nd June 2022. Great work by KONPNE campaigner and Durham resident Dr Lawrence Welch, and by NHS campaigner Laura Murrell, Secretary of Sunderland and District KONP.
CLICK HERE
and scroll to 22nd June to read the questions and get the Council responses
Next up is KONPNE campaigner and Newcastle resident Clare Bethell who plans to present a question to Newcastle City Council on Wednesday 6th July at 6pm – Clare and the KONPNE team are in the process of formulating the question and will let you know when this has been accepted. Watch this space.
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7:
Find out more about “Integrated Care Systems”
“It is really important to understand that ‘integration’ as in Integrated Care Systems means ‘disintegration’, centralisation, loss of public accountability, opening door wider to private companies, driving down quality to reduce costs, rationing, and a fundamental shift way from a universal service providing comprehensive care to all, free at the point of use”
Dr John Puntis, KONP Co-Chair, 7th February 2021
“Integrated Care Systems” come into effect on 1st July 2022, and are responsible for commissioning health services across England. The “North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System” is one of 42 such systems.
CLICK HERE
to find out more on our ICS page
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8:
Three questions to put to new Councillors
New Councillors are now taking their seats in the Council Chambers – so here’s three key questions to start people off with 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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9:
Sajid Javid must rebuild our NHS
From national KONP:
The Health and Care Bill is now an Act. This major change to how our NHS will work is happening at a moment when people are dying on record high waiting lists and going far too long without urgent treatment.
The Health and Care Act will not make the situation any better. The sad thing is the current crisis in the NHS is unnecessary and avoidable. It arises from government policy and not inherent problems in our NHS. The government must step in to save lives and end needless suffering now. It will not do so of its own volition. We put on the pressure to make it change course.
That’s why we’ve launched a new petition demanding that Health Secretary Sajid Javid takes urgent action to rebuild the NHS.
To do this the government must:
-
end the staffing crisis, including paying staff properly
-
train and recruit more staff by scrapping tuition fees and bringing back the NHS student bursary
-
ensure the NHS has the funds it needs (to the level of comparable countries) – this is affordable for the fifth largest economy in the world
-
stop the flow of cash to the private sector and invest in rebuilding the NHS instead
We urge you to sign the and share the petition now!
CLICK HERE
to sign the petition
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10:
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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11:
OUR NHS STAFF DESERVE BETTER – THIS “PAY RISE” IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH
CLICK HERE
to sign the change.org petition
Join “NHS Workers Say NO! to Public Sector pay inequality”
CLICK HERE
for the facebook page
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12:
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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13:
ACCESS INFORMATION
> Look through our KONP North East website. Click on the menu header on each page, OR click here to go to the site map, OR click on the following links for updates and information regarding….
♦ Latest news and developments
♦ Our mailing list
♦ NHS privatisation
♦ Privatisation in Primary Care – Livi
♦ NHS cuts
♦ NHS waiting lists
♦ Social Care
♦ Questions to NE Councils re NHS privatisation
♦ Covid 19 and NHS privatisation
♦ Peoples Covid Inquiry
♦ Integrated Care Systems
♦ The Health and Care Bill 2021
♦ The Police and Crime Bill 2021
♦ NHS and migration – fight racism and defend migrants
♦ NHS Data Grab
♦ Resources – recent reports, books, films, video
♦ Links to people and organisations
♦ KONPNE archive – our activity over the past ten years
♦ KONPNE Blog – an opportunity to air your views and experiences – all contributions are welcome!!
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14:
LINKS TO NHS CAMPAIGNING ORGANISATIONS
> The national KONP website provides information and news from all over the country
Click here
> The KONP 2020 Vision for Healthcare
Click here
> Read the Health Campaigns Together news bulletin to catch up on local and national news and developments.
Click here to access the latest Bulletin, and also back issues
> Check out The Lowdown – superb, free, online health campaigning journal
Click here
> An excellent series of 20 virtual meetings, each with expert speakers, hosted by The Peoples Assembly.
For the complete playlist of meetings click here
> Click here for the “We Own It” campaign website re the NHS and click here for the facebook page
> Read and circulate issues of “NHS Staff Voices”, the newsletter for staff working in our health and care services:
NHS Staff Voices 5 (October 2021)
Find out more about NHS Staff Voices here and check out the NHS Voices facebook page here
> See the Care and Support Workers Organise facebook page here
> Join “NHS Workers Say NO! to Public Sector pay inequality”
Click here for the facebook page
> Click here, and find out more about the SOS NHS coalition of pro-NHS organisations and campaign groups, and click here for information and reports on recent actions in the North East
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15:
WATCH INCISIVE FILMS
Click here for links to documentaries about the NHS: The Great NHS Heist (Drew McFadyen and Bob Gill, 2019), Sell Off (Peter Bach, 2014) and Sicko (Michael Moore, 2007) – all are timely reminders about why we do not want an American healthcare system.
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16:
FOLLOW DECISION-MAKING IN THE NORTH EAST COUNCILS – 2022
KONPNE are keen for people to follow decision-making at local Council meetings – either by tracking Council minutes online or by attending (via Zoom) as an observer. It is crucial that we are aware of discussions at specific meetings (the “Health and Wellbeing” and the “Health Scrutiny” meetings) so that we are able to keep up-to-date with CCG and Council decision-making regarding “Integrated Care Systems.
Please click our page here if you are interested in finding out more….
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17:
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH KONP NORTH EAST…and tell your family, friends and contacts
All of our regular face-to-face monthly meetings are, of course, cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and we are now holding meetings via zoom. Details of all scheduled zoom meetings are posted above and in our social media – it would be good to see you and hear from you!! Please click on our home page here to find out more about us.
We circulate a regular Campaign briefing by email – If you would like to add your email address to the circulation list, then please click here and….job done.
Also, we host busy and lively facebook and twitter platforms…please help the Campaign by liking, following, commenting, sharing, tweeting, retweeting….Our social media is updated daily and works well….so long as it is shared….. find us at facebook.com/NHSPublicNorthEast and twitter.com/KONPNorthEast
We warmly welcome new members and encourage all to be involved and in and to support the future of a publicly-funded and publicly-provided NHS. People can help in many different ways – involvement in specific Campaigns, practical assistance in organising Campaign work, liaison with other organisations, keeping an eye on Council and CCG minutes, assisting with our social media, etc etc etc – please let us know if you have time to assist and be assured of a warm welcome. There is a role for you!!
And finally, wherever you are in the North East, and whatever you are doing, please let us know and keep in touch at konpnortheast@gmail.com
At this time, we offer our gratitude and MASSIVE respect to all health workers and keyworkers.
Take lots of care and keep in touch – all at KONPNE xx
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MORE ABOUT KONPNE
Please see these two-minute youtube videos, which summarise some of the campaign activity throughout recent years:
2021 – work in progress!
2020
2019
2018
2017
More details? Please click the next link below for updates, media articles and photos relating to earlier Campaign activity:
2010 – 2019
and please click the following link which takes you to articles and photos relating to current and recent activity:
2020 – current
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AND FINALLY…
We provide information about meetings and upcoming events through our Campaign email – circulated approx once per month. Please click here.
We keep a record of your name and email address only – this remains confidential and secure, and we never share this information with anyone else. You are able to unsubscribe from the list at any time. “Keep Our NHS Public North East” takes consent and confidentiality very seriously and these arrangements are to comply with data protection regulations.
konpnortheast.com 