News

This page contains a photo gallery, a collection of campaign updates and media articles and an archive of previous events…… 

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13th July 2019 – the 135th Durham Miners Gala!!

Great to be in Durham again earlier today, with KONPNE and “Health Campaigns Together” members distributing thousands of leaflets and HCT newspapers – very well received, and many conversations with people present – and also great to meet up with our friends in the Durham KONP, Sunderland KONP and Save South Tyneside Hospital campaign groups. Durham was flooded with sound and colour, and our NHS message was received loud and clear….

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29th June 2019 – In Yorkshire for the Health Campaigns Together Northern Conference

A very informative and lively day in Leeds, with health campaign groups present from all over the north of England – Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Huddersfield, Lancashire, Wirral, York and others….and….YES….North East people are not alone in challenging and campaigning against the current massive cuts and closures in our NHS. Health service cuts are happening in the North East and all over the country, and must be stopped. It was excellent to meet up with campaigners from across the region. Six people were able to attend from the North East (KONPNE and Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaigns) – see pix below…..

Many thanks to Leeds KONP and Health Campaigns Together for planning this superb event – feedback at our next KONPNE meeting on 25th July – click here for details KONPNE meeting 25th July

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6th June 2019  – KONPNE June Meeting

Privatisation of local screening services, Rutherford Cancer Care and treatment of migrants.

Agenda 060619

Notes 060619

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4th April 2019 – KONPNE April Meeting

Updates on campaigns and trying to establish where we are with Integrated Care Providers and the NHS Long-Term Plan.

04.04.19-konpne-agenda

Notes of KONPNE Meeting 4th April

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5th, 6th, 7th March – Mark Thomas at Live Theatre

Many thanks to Mark Thomas and Live Theatre for allowing KONPNE to run a stall over the three nights of Mark’s show, The NHS @ 70.

As well as providing an entertaining and thought-provoking show, packed with useful facts and statistics, Mark was very generous with his time after the show.

Thank you to everyone who signed  up to our contact list, or signed the South Tyneside Hospital Campaign petition or the petition to have St Clare’s Hospice re-opened.  It was lovely to meet so many people who are passionate about reinstating the NHS to a universal, publicly provided service, free at the point of use.

 

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7th February 2019 – KONPNE February Meeting

The first meeting of 2019 saw discussion on the sharing out of tasks and special emphasis on liaising with local councillors.

7-2-19 KONPNE agenda

7-02-19 KONPNE Notes of Meeting

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1st February 2019 – KONPNE writes to all Councillors in the North East

KONPNE HAS WRITTEN TO ALL COUNCILLORS IN THE NORTH EAST…..see the text here:

Dear Councillor,

I am writing on behalf of Keep Our NHS Public North East, a local health campaign group comprising mostly members of the general public, together with doctors, nurses and other health professionals who believe in our NHS. Our group has been in existence for nine years. We are writing to all Councillors in the North East who sit on a local Council Health and Wellbeing Board, Health Scrutiny Committee, the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee, together with all Council Leaders and Councillors holding a health portfolio.

Integrated Care Systems = covert privatisation

Further to our presentation to the Joint STP Health Scrutiny Committee in November 2018, we remain extremely concerned that NHS England are forcing local CCGs to develop a healthcare system which will ultimately lead to increased privatisation and the demise of the NHS. This system, known as “Accountable Care Organisations” and recently rebranded as “Integrated Care Systems”, is imported from the United States where healthcare is multi-tiered, privatised, underpinned by health insurance, and is definitely NOT equitable, accountable or available to all in need.

We believe that the current underfunding and subsequent planned dismantling of our NHS is a political decision which must be rejected at all levels. Closures to our health services are taking place under the cloak of “integration”, with this being executed in a gradual and covert manner, with the minimisation of changes, and with changes being masked by much smoke and mirrors and obscure CCG language. This potentially leaves local Councils to carry the can.

The NHS Long term Plan (January 2019)

Alongside these covert changes, it is crucial not to be side-tracked by the recent news that NHS England wishes to repeal some of the competition elements of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. A close analysis of the NHS Long term Plan reveals that the overall impact of the proposed plan will be to replace one kind of privatisation with another – the Plan would enable the private sector to gain control of individual “Accountable Care Organisations” (recently rebranded as “Integrated Care Systems”) through long-term contracts to manage the entire health system within one region, thus bringing about what we term a “macro” or large-scale privatisation. It is clear that the proposed plan will continue with the Stevens strategy of breaking up our single national service into 40+ ACOs / ICSs with rigidly fixed budgets and rationed services, and will ultimately enable the delivery of these to Stevens’ transnational friends. The legal changes inherent in the proposed NHS Long Term Plan will not halt the privatisation of the NHS – it will accomplish it. More information about our views regarding the content of the Long Term Plan is found at: https://keepournhspublic.com/…/nhs-long-term-plan-unfunded…/

Councillors and health care in the North East

We are grateful to the many North East Councillors who support and continue to stand up for a fully-funded, publicly owned and publicly provided National Health Service. We call upon all Councillors to be on your guard against a covert introduction of cuts and privatisation, and not to collude with the political decision to dismantle our NHS. Many Councils have voted against STPs and the provisions rebranded as “Integrated Care Systems” – the five boroughs in North Central London all opposed their STPs, this is being replicated across the country, and we seek that this takes place here within the seven North East councils also. You will be aware that, locally, on 22nd March 2018, North Tyneside Council voted unanimously that “this council agrees that there is a growing body of evidence questioning the wisdom of …Accountable Care Organisations / Integrated Care Systems…This Council agrees to oppose any proposal to implement the delivery of healthcare in North Tyneside via an Accountable Care Organisation / Integrated Care System, a project which in North Tyneside CCGs own report was stated to be high risk”. This is a very positive and proactive step forward by Councillors in North Tyneside; the Council agenda, motion and minutes are here: https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/meeting/19596

Information

The people of the North East are placing our trust in our elected Councillors to continue to stand up for a fully funded, publicly owned and publicly provided National Health Service, which is available to all on the basis of need.

Please find three attachments, which we feel will be of interest – about Integrated Care Systems, about the Long Term Plan, and Questions to ask in Council.

There is also much information on our website and social media (all addresses are listed below), and please do not hesitate to make contact on konpnortheast@gmail.com, if you require any further details.

We thank you for your attention and for your ongoing support.

John Whalley
Co-ordinator
Keep Our NHS Public North East
No cuts or cash-driven closures | Fair pay for all NHS staff | A fully-funded, universal, publicly owned and publicly provided National Health Service 
konpnortheast@gmail.com
http://www.facebook,com/NHSPublicNorthEast
twitter @KONPNorthEast
www.konpnortheast.com

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KONPNE sent the above email to all Councillors sitting on “Health and Wellbeing Boards” and “Health Scrutiny Committees” in Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Durham. 
Sunderland KONP has sent the same to Sunderland Councillors.

Links to the three attachments are below.

What you can do:
Please follow up our email by writing to your own Councillors – email addresses are at www.konpnortheast.com/links

YOUR HELP IN CONSOLIDATING THIS IS ESSENTIAL AND IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED
Thank you

Attachment 1    konpbriefingonacoandics-konpne2019

Attachment 2    konpquestionsreics-konpne2019

Attachment 3    konplongtermplan

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18th January 2019 – What a year….

Click the youtube link here for a resume of the last twelve months…..

https://youtu.be/sVHjR_84UC0

…..and if you’re not on the film, hope to see you on the next instalment!!

Thanks for all of your ongoing support

xxxKONPNE

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17th January 2019 – Warm welcome, icy night

Many thanks to all at Jesmond Library this evening for the very warm welcome on a cold and icy night!

As part of the library “Thursday Evening Talks” series, Dr Gerard Reissmann (GP) outlined the main legal changes that have lead to the increasing privatisation of the NHS, followed by a discussion on private healthcare, the misuse of the NHS logo, the NHS Reinstatement Bill and recent local campaigns including Rothbury and South Tyneside. 

The NHS70 card will be in the library for the next week or so, and all are invited to sign and leave your message for the NHS (over 500 messages already!!), plus everyone is welcome at the next KONPNE meeting on Thursday 7th February, 7pm at Brunswick Methodist Church and also to check out our latest events on the KONPNE website here – www.konpnortheast.com/events. Much happening!!!

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12th January 2019 – KONPNE Crowdfunder launched

WE HAVE A BUSY YEAR AHEAD
Please support Keep Our NHS Public North East, and ensure that the Campaign continues in our North East region
*No cuts or cash-driven closures
*Fair pay for all NHS staff
*A fully-funded, universal, publicly-owned and publicly-provided National Health Service

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1st January 2019 – THANKYOU and WELCOME !!

RARING TO GO IN 2019 – BUT FIRST….a huge thank you for all support and involvement in campaign activity over the past year – much has been achieved, we have made our voices heard….but there is a long way to go.

Please see this short video, which summarises some of our campaign activity throughout 2018 – if you are not on it, then hope to see you on the 2019 version at the end of this year!

Please click here:     https://youtu.be/sVHjR_84UC0

A New Year!! We are now able to confirm the dates of our Campaign planning meetings for 2019; all on the following three Thursdays, 6.30pm for tea and coffee, 7pm start and finishing at 8.45pm, and all at the Meeting Rooms at Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle city centre. We welcome all who care about the future of our NHS !!

7th February

4th April

6th June

There is a choice of lift or stairs to the meeting room on the first floor – but please still contact us beforehand  at konpnortheast@gmail.com if you are a wheelchair user. The Methodist Church is situated in Newcastle city centre and is located under one minute from Greys Monument / Monument Metro, at the end of the small access road which runs between Waterstones and Jamie’s Italian. 

We look forward to meeting up with KONPNE supporters – and if you have not yet joined us, then make it your New Year resolution! We guarantee a warm welcome!! 

Details about our next meeting are here

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18th December 2018 – Standing room only in the public gallery at Leeds Court

STANDING ROOM ONLY in the public gallery at Leeds Court – for the first day of the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign Judicial Review.

Campaigners travelled from South Tyneside and Sunderland, were supported by colleagues from Sunderland KONP and KONP North East, and were delighted to be met in Leeds by our friends from Leeds KONP and the “Hands Off Huddersfield Royal Infirmary” campaign. There is widespread public support against closures and cutbacks at South Tyneside Hospital – these are NOT ACCEPTABLE in the 21st century – and we need to ensure that the wonderful Childrens A&E, Maternity, Special Care Baby Unit, and Stroke Services all continue in South Tyneside.

The three-day hearing in Leeds continues tomorrow Wednesday 19th and also Thursday 20th, with a judgement expected at the end of the week.

The Chronicle report from Day 1 Tuesday 18th December (Campaign barrister) is  here

and the Chronicle report from Day 2 Wednesday 19th December (South Tyneside CCG barrister) is here

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9th December 2018 – Email: Nine Key Questions

KONPNE has emailed the Joint STP Health Scrutiny Committee (this comprises three Councillors from each of the seven local Councils) with a series of nine key questions – Councillors may wish to put these questions to the CCG regarding the proposed and discredited Integrated Care System / Accountable Care Organisation.

Please double click Email – Councillors on the Joint STP Health Scrutiny Committee – Dec 2018 to read the email…. and questions….

btw – we have also forwarded this email to the Chairs and Chief Execs of all seven healthwatch organisations in the NE region….the Healthwatch organisations and Councillors are our representatives…. so let’s communicate with them more….

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29th November 2018 – KONPNE: Reviewing the past and always moving forwards

The last KONPNE meeting of the year – and, tonight, some time spent reviewing our range of campaign activity throughout 2018….and also considering and planning for the festive period, for January and beyond.

We have a 12 month, 52 week per year health campaign in the North East – come and join us in fighting for a fully funded and publicly provided NHS for all of our futures.

Please DOUBLE CLICK: The agenda is here: 29.11.18 – KONPNE agenda and the notes from the meeting are here: 29.11.18 – KONPNE meeting notes 

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26th November 2018 – Some tricky questions for the CCG

plus….KONPNE addresses Council Joint STP Health Scrutiny Committee

All is cloaked in mystery, but if it walks like an ACO and talks like an ACO, then KONPNE believes it is an ACO, and is setting a path for increased privatisation….and none of the obscure and nebulous language associated with the current “aspirant Integrated Care System” stacks up in a healthy way….

We were pleased to hear the comments of Councillors who can see beyond the CCG smoke and mirrors…

**Councillor Lesley Spillard (North Tyneside) “We are hearing about communications, but not about delivery – how will they run this shadow ICS?”

**Councillor Felicity Mendelson (Newcastle) “We need to hear topics and themes regarding health provision, and to consider this across the region”

**Councillor Lynne Caffrey (Gateshead) “We are working in the dark – we need an accumulative picture of what is going on”

**Councillor Wendy Taylor (Newcastle) “What organisation will we be dealing with, and how will it be run?”

**Councillor Lesley Spillard (North Tyneside) “I have massive concerns – we don’t know where we are going, and there is very little information as to what an ICS is about. I have big concerns about this”

ALL COUNCILLORS agreed that there is process information from the CCG and health leads about individual “workstreams”, but no hard information about the proposed or potential effect on current services – and that there is a need for such clarity.

Great suggestion from chair Lynne Caffrey that Alan Foster, STP lead for North East and Cumbria region, be invited to the January meeting to clarify……?

20th November 2018 – Minutes of  Joint Health Scrutiny Committee posted on Council website

NORTHUMBERLAND TYNE & WEAR & NORTH DURHAM STP HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MEETING
Monday, 24 September 2018

This north east health scrutiny committee comprises three councillor representatives from each of the seven local councils, and focuses soley on the STP in the NE. It meets every two months at Gateshead Civic Centre.

18th October 2018 – KONPNE meeting

Another busy meeting – lots of campaign items to feedback, discuss and plan….

…..and also even making time for a 40 minute discussion slot, which seemed well-received!!

The agenda is here:  18.10.18 – KONPNE agenda

and the notes from the meeting are here: 18.10.18 – KONPNE notes

Our next meeting takes place on Thursday 29th November 2018, at 7pm, at Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle upon Tyne. All welcome!! This is an open meeting for all who care about the NHS. Further details are here

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24th September 2018 – A tale of two speakers in Gateshead…..

Joint STP Health Scrutiny meeting today at Gateshead Civic Centre – three councillor reps from each of the local councils. The meeting included a presentation from Mary Bewley (the new head of communication and engagement for the STP) about the “Integrated Care Programme” workforce and communications issues – the content of the presentation, however, had much resonance with discredited Accountable Care Organisations (the presentation appeared to centre around staffing issues within large scale health and social care macro organisations) and this similarity was certainly not lost on the councillors present. Health campaigners also highlighted the fact that there is currently a national consultation on Integrated Care Programmes – and the proposals from the Comms Lead as set out at the meeting may well be a case of putting the cart before the horse….

6th September 2018 – KONPNE speaks

Another lively KONPNE meeting, this evening in the meeting rooms at Brunswick Methodist Church. It is good to meet with everyone to share ideas and also formulate plans for the future – there is always a great strength in this joint decision-making, and the ideas generated at this (and other) meetings are bolstered by everyones input…the whole is greater than the individual parts….

Also great to welcome and meet new members – all are very welcome.

The agenda for this meeting is here:  6.9.18 – KONPNE agenda    and the notes from the meeting are here: 6.9.18 – KONPNE notes of meeting

Our next meeting will take place on 18th October 2018.  Please see here for details

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1st September 2018 – Newcastle Unites

Great to be with our friends from Newcastle Unites at the Newcastle Unity Carnival – KONPNE stands for and celebrates our multicultural society here in the North East.

We fight against the institutional racism involved in denial of or reduced access to healthcare. We need to challenge the government and media statements which blame migrants for NHS pressures – so diverting attention from the underfunding of the NHS by central government.

We fight against the problems in accessing visas by overseas healthcare workers, any unequal treatment and discrimination experienced by NHS staff, and any racist abuse encountered by NHS staff. There is a lack of recognition of the role of migrants in running the NHS, and this perception must be changed.

In the case of NHS charges, discrimination against those not entitled to free NHS care also provides a justification and cover for the introduction of new systems – there is no doubt that these will be used in the future to support wider charges affecting everyone and these will herald a two-tier insurance-based healthcare.

We celebrate and stand for a multicultural Newcastle upon Tyne and we fight to KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC. It is a honour to take part today and we thank all of the team at Newcastle Unites for an excellent event.

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20th July 2018 – And still nil response from STP lead and NewcastleGateshead CCG 

The distinct lack of response from NewcastleGateshead CCG / STP Lead Alan Foster / North East Commissioning Service has been picked up and details published nationally by the editors of this months health campaigns paper “Health Campaigns Together”.

Since January 2018, North East health campaign groups have repeatedly asked for a clarification of two specific points relating to the local draft STP – but, as yet, to no avail. Emails have been sent on 17th January, 17th February, 24th March and 6th May. It is fair to say that we did receive an email from Alan Foster (STP Lead for Cumbria and the North East) in April 2018…but it didn’t answer the questions asked…and there has been nil response from Mr Foster following our email of 6th May 2018.

19th July 2018 – Newcastle Health and Wellbeing Board speak loud and clear

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARD
Mark Adams (Chief Officer, NewcastleGateshead CCG) presented “An Integrated Care System for North East and North Cumbria” together with an invitation to “Join Our Journey”, to Newcastle Health and Wellbeing Board on 10th July 2018.

Board members were, however, not queuing up for this particular CCG trip – and instead identified a large number of concerns, as listed in the following Council minutes:

“The Board resolved:
That the presentation on the current direction of travel towards an Integrated Care System for the North East and Cumbria be received and Board member comments and concerns on this process be noted, including:-
– The need for proper, meaningful engagement with partners and the public;
– The lack of a clearly defined role for Health and Wellbeing Boards within the process;
– The potential requirement for legislative change to deliver the proposals;
– The implications for delivery of the prevention agenda and public health outcomes;
– The need for resource to be made available to support delivery of services at a local community level;
– Concerns that proposed Governance arrangements may be at odds with delivery of local solutions;
– The need to ensure agility and flexibility within the system to enable organisations to be responsive over time;
– That the proposals were being centrally driven to meet prescribed national objectives rather than reflecting local priorities.”

19th July 2018 – NE celebrations @ 70 + continuing the campaign to ensure another 70 years….

MANY THANKS to all who joined in with the hectic activity over the past month!! We can safely say that 70 years was well and truly celebrated in Newcastle upon Tyne…. WHILST ALSO continuing the campaign to ensure another 70….
>>> 23rd June for three weeks: hundreds of people viewed the hard-hitting Marion Macalpine photographic exhibition on NHS privatisation, plus local panels about NHS privatisation in the NE prepared by KONPNE – plus promotion through leafletting, social media, BBC Radio Newcastle and the Chronicle
>>> 26th June: our open discussion night “What the NHS means to Me”….We heard from a nurse of the early days of the NHS, and from a current GP; from someone treated shortly after birth and from a person currently undergoing treatment; from people who work in support services to the NHS – and much more…an inspiring evening
>>> 30th June: an amazing day in London – thousands of people out on the streets in the scorching heat to demonstrate and celebrate
>>> 5th July: A very happy 70th birthday to our NHS and (hopefully) many happy returns – KONPNE out in celebratory mood in Newcastle upon Tyne city centre – baking hot sunshine, birthday cake, a GINORMOUS birthday card, guitar sets, community choir and an open mic for birthday messages!! What more do we need (apart from a fully reinstated NHS)??!!
>>> 10th July: KONPNE and Tyneside Cinema in collaboration – a screening of “Spirit of 45” (Ken Loach film) plus expert panel discussion – an empowering evening, highlighting the dangers inherent in “Accountable Care Organisations” (an American private health model) and its recent re-badge as “Integrated Care Systems”…and the fact that, as in 1945, we CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>>> 14th July: 134th Durham Miners Gala!!! Great to march with Durham KONP, meet up with other NE health campaigners, and assist on the Durham KONP campaign stall alongside the Health Campaigns Together stall

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14th July 2018 – 134th Durham Miners Gala – proud to be here

134th Durham Miners Gala!!! Great to march with Durham KONP, meet up with other NE health campaigners, and assist on the Durham KONP campaign stall alongside the Health Campaigns Together stall – what a fantastic day

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10th July 2018 – A bad trip at Newcastle Civic Centre

Integrated Care Partnerships? We don’t think so…

At a meeting of the Newcastle Wellbeing for Life Board (the local Health and Wellbeing Board) meeting today, Mark Adams, Chief Officer, Newcastle Gateshead CCG, spoke to the agenda item “NHS Funding, Organisation and Forward Plan”, the notes for which were circulated THE SAME DAY….so much for the timely sharing of information and engagement…

Anyway, leaving that important issue aside, we heard Adams outline the “NHS Direction of Travel” for the North of England – which he proposes will comprise one “Integrated Care System” covering North Cumbria and all of the North East from Berwick to parts of Cleveland and North Yorkshire, and he went on to describe how this macro organisation will be subdivided into four “Integrated Care Partnerships” – the paper is linked below – and all to be in place by April 2019….?
Members of the Wellbeing for Life Board were, to put it mildly, not convinced.

The strapline for Adams’ CCG paper invites people to “Join Our Journey”…and, in doing so, he gives away one of the key drivers. It is clearly a bus owned and driven by NHS England and the local CCG, with little or no involvement from would-be “partners”. Sound familiar? Seems resonant of the draft STP fracas back in October 2016?
Feedback to Mark Adams from the Board:
Sally Young (Chief Executive, Newcastle Council for Voluntary Service) specified that “telling people about what is happening is not involvement or engagement”.
Steph Edusei (Chief Executive, Healthwatch Newcastle) pointed out that “engagement means involving people – and nothing has happened for the past two years”
Prof Allyson Pollock (Director, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University) challenged Adams that his proposal is moving in advance of the Parliamentary consultation on ACO’s (/ACS’s) – and asked why this is so?
Councillor Nick Forbes (Leader of Newcastle City Council) asked for clarification as to how the identified and much-needed health promotion will take place with little money in the pot – at this point Adams handed over to Dr Guy Pilkington (Assistant Clinical Chair, Newcastle CCG) who responded how “we will need to be bold, as money is tight”.

>> What was outlined by NewcastleGateshead CCG is a very significant proposal – and we trust that this proposal will go out to full public engagement and consultation….surprisingly, no mention was made of the timetable for this….

>> And one final thought….and forgive us if we have got this wrong…Adams repeatedly referred to “industrialising” health promotion and, by this, we think he is suggesting a large-scale development. Whilst we applaud all of the hard-won health promotion work carried out by our dedicated NHS clinicians, and recognise that increased attention to health promotion in the future is crucial, we urge members of the CCG to move away from the language of the market place, industrialisation, and care “packages”. Rest assured that nothing about our health needs to be “industrialised” – we require a person centred approach and true human engagement.

Join our Journey? We don’t see any queues.

The CCG document is here – go to supplemental agenda 2:

https://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=9442&x=1

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10th July 2018 – KONPNE and Tyneside Cinema

An empowering evening tonight – collaboration between KONPNE and Tyneside Cinema – showing “Spirit of 45” (Ken Loach, 2013) and then an expert panel discussion which highlighted the increased NHS privatisation by stealth, and the dangers inherent in “Accountable Care Organisations” (an American private health model) and its recent re-badge as “Integrated Care Systems”…and the fact that, as in 1945, we CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Many thanks to the panel:
Andrew Simpson, Director of Film Programming, Tyneside Cinema (chair)
Dr Gerard Reissmann, local GP and member of Keep Our NHS Public North East
Linda Hobson, Unison Deputy Regional Convenor and Unison National Health Executive
Graham Kirkwood, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University
and to the very engaged audience

7th July 2018 – Cello surroundsound @ St.Toms

Wonderful, unexpected surprise this morning – the fantastic Cellodees playing in the midst of the Marion Macalpine NHS Privatisation Exhibition at St.Thomas church, Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne. 
Many visitors today – learning about the sad reality of NHS privatisation. This under-the-radar privatisation needs to be stopped.
Many pages of comments in the Exhibition visitors book, and OVER 500 messages on the NE Birthday Card for the NHS.
Come along….view…read…comment….join in. 
The Exhibition is open for ONE FINAL WEEK – Monday 9th to Saturday 14th JULY, 10.30am to 4pm, free entry – if you care about the future of healthcare in England, make sure that you don’t miss it….
North East councillors and CCG staff – it would be good to see you there.

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6th July 2018 – The Exhibition which keeps on growing…

The Exhibition which keeps on growing!!
One week left!!
Come along to view the Marion Macalpine Photographic Exhibition “How Come We Didn’t Know? Privatisation: the corporate takeover of our NHS”
PLUS!!
NHS Privatisation in the North East – panels prepared by Keep Our NHS Public North East
PLUS!!
Now also showing the North East’s NHS 70 Birthday Card – with 500 messages…and growing (add your own)
All at St.Thomas Church, Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne, open Saturday 7th July then Mon – Sat until Saturday 14th July, 10.30am to 4pm, free entry
See you soon…..

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6th July 2018 – Chronicle

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5th July 2018 – A very happy 70th birthday to our NHS and (hopefully) many happy returns

KONPNE in celebratory mood out and about in Newcastle upon Tyne city centre – baking hot sunshine, birthday cake, a GINORMOUS birthday card, guitar sets, community choir and an open mic for birthday messages!! What more do we need??!!

Yes to celebration – and YES also to *a publicly owned NHS that is free for all  *proper funding and proper staffing  *support for our wonderful NHS workers  *world class services for every community

Many thanks to Martha and the team at Pink Lane Bakery for donating the bespoke NHS 70th Birthday cake, to Gill at Wideopen Co-op and Pam at Market street Co-op also for donating cakes, to John Aspinall (Elephant Memoirs) and Making Waves (Cullercoats Community Choir) for music, and to Unite the Union (NEYH) for printing, Peoples Assembly and Newcastle Unites for the PA….to members of the KONPNE group for a fantastic turn out….and to members of the public for the heartfelt messages on the card. …Team effort!!

The card is available for viewing (and for further messages!) at St.Thomas’Church, Haymarket, until 14th July….

….and a great report and video from Newcastle Chronicle is here:   https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/passion-support-nhs-show-newcastle-14871718

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2nd July 2018 – first thing Monday morning…

….and EXHIBITION ALL SORTED, RESTOCKED AND READY FOR WEEK 2….Come along, view the exhibition and tell us what you think.

The Marion Macalpine Photography Exhibition “How Come We Didn’t Know; Privatisation: the corporate takeover of our NHS” is open Monday – Saturday*, 10.30 – 4, until Saturday 14th July at St.Thomas Church, Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne – the church next to Newcastle Civic Centre (*excluding Thursday 5th July). Free entry. Hosted by KONPNE.

30th June 2018 – NHS birthday celebrated in style AND giving the crystal clear message: WE NEED TO PROTECT FOR THE FUTURE

Keep Our NHS Public North East in London today. Fantastic day with group members, and members of other NE campaign groups, plus making many new friends – but, most importantly, a very clear message to the North East CCGs and central Government: ICSs (aka ACOs) = privatisation = Not In Our Name

Arriving in London…

and the party starts in style…

From Health Campaigns Together:
What an AMAZING day!!
50,000+ people came out in the scorching heat to demonstrate against privatisation of #ourNHS
And celebrate her 70th birthday
You are making change happen
THANK YOU ALL 💙👇🏼

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26th June 2018 – NHS is central to our society and the way we live

Praise and gratitude to our fantastic NHS staff in the North East – and much celebration for all the good work over the last 70 years.

We heard from a nurse of the early days of the NHS, and from a current GP; from someone treated shortly after birth and from a person currently undergoing treatment; from people who work in support services to the NHS – and much more. 

All surrounded by the hard-hitting Marion Macalpine photography exhibition on NHS Privatisation “How Come We Didn’t Know?” Please come in and view the exhibition, read the exhibition comments book to find out What the NHS means to us, the people of the North East…and also please add your own thoughts and reflections.

The Marion Macalpine Photography Exhibition is open Monday – Saturday*, 10.30 – 4, until Saturday 14th July at St.Thomas Church, Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne (*excluding 5th July). Free entry.

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26th June 2018 – Screening details now released for Tuesday 10th July 2018 – “SPIRIT OF 45”

*****KONPNE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TYNESIDE CINEMA***** To mark the 70th birthday of the NHS, tickets are on sale now for a screening of “Spirit of 45” (Director Ken Loach, 2013) and expert panel discussion: TUESDAY 10th JULY at 6pm.

Click here for tickets – £6 :

https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/film-and-events/view/frontline-3-save-our-nhs

From Tyneside Cinema:
FRONTLINE #3: SAVE OUR NHS
As part of Frontline, Tyneside Cinema’s monthly series of discussions tackling the big issues, engaging local partners and talking about the vital questions of our time, we mark the 70th birthday of the NHS by bringing together doctors, campaigners and policy experts to discuss the struggle to keep the NHS free at the point of use, in an era of grave threat to public services.

25th June 2018 – Privatisation on the agenda??

Hot sunshine in Gateshead today – but more sombre in the Civic Centre for the two-monthly Joint STP Health Scrutiny Meeting – comprising Councillor representatives from the seven councils in the NE STP. 
Intriguing to hear Alan Foster, STP Lead for North Cumbria and North East, give the presentation “Towards an Integrated Care System for the North East and North Cumbria” and then try to convince Councillors that the ICS was in no way related to the tainted Accountable Care system / privatisation in any way….
Insightful questions from a number of Councillors.
Agenda is here:

http://democracy.gateshead.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=305&MId=2009&Ver=4

Meetings are open to the public, and meetings are scheduled for 16th July (1.30pm), 24th September (2pm) and 26th November (2pm), all at Gateshead Civic Centre.

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23rd June 2018 – THE Great Exhibition of the North

“How come we didn’t know? Privatisation – the corporate takeover of our NHS” by Marion Macalpine.
THE photographic exhibition that does the exposing.

The Exhibition itself is looking great, with lots of space and light, and a fantastic warm welcome from the team at St.Thomas’ – we had a great opening day, with many visitors. The exhibition content is, however, disturbing to say the least, graphically demonstrating the growing corporate takeover of the NHS and shows how privatisation is promoted by the latest health service reorganisation. Never one to hold back, at the same time KONPNE are also presenting our very own complementary exhibition, focusing on NHS privatisation in the NE.
A double event – not to be missed.

Now open to view for the next three weeks (Monday – Saturday, 10.30am – 4pm, free entry). Definitely a must see exhibition for all who care about the NHS – and for all who wonder what on earth is happening….

Come along to St.Thomas (the Church next to Newcastle Civic Centre, at the Haymarket).

London-based campaigner and photographer Marion Macalpine meets Dr Helen Groom, founding member of KONPNE  (top right photo) and Revd Catherine Lack, St.Thomas’ Church (middle right photo)

The exhibition explores the diverse forms that privatisation takes, including PFI contracts; private health companies masquerading as NHS including many GP clinics and diagnostic centres;  private hospitals which cherry-pick ‘low risk’ patients;  lucrative contracts for highly specialist treatment;  healthcare corporations with a history of fraud or tax avoidance;  scandalously poor care practice that is no barrier to winning new contracts;  private corporations driving government policy and involved in negotiations such as the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership….and now including new panels on the shocking impact of government plans for so-called ‘Transformation’. The exhibition highlights critical links between politicians at all levels and private healthcare corporations.

EXHIBITION ON TOUR!! The exhibition has previously been displayed in Ascot, Birkenhead Art Gallery, Brighton (3 times), Cambridge, Chichester,  Cheltenham, Deal, Hackney (twice), Hammersmith, Haringey, Lambeth, Liverpool Central Library and the Unite building, The Wirral, Norwich,  Sheffield, Southampton, Stroud, Tower Hamlets, Whitstable and Health Campaigns Together 2017 conference.

Marion Macalpine, Photographer:  “Congratulations to KONP North East for exhibiting ‘How Come We Didn’t Know?’ , also their own exhibition about privatisation of the NHS locally. Groups around the country having been exposing the hidden and shocking government plans for privatisation for some time, and displaying ‘How Come We Didn’t Know?’ since 2014. It is great that it is up so centrally in Newcastle”

Reverend Jonathan Adams, St.Thomas’:     “St.Thomas’ is right in the centre of the city, in front of the Civic Centre, by the Haymarket Metro, inbetween the two Universities. It is a place where people come to explore ideas about things they care about. Clearly the NHS is central to what we believe is valuable – about caring for one another. We are very glad to support the Macalpine exhibition – 23rd June for three weeks, Monday to Saturday, 10.30am to 4pm, free of charge. We’ll be delighted if people come, look at it, and consider what we really want for the future of our NHS”

Marion Macalpine, Rev Jonathan Adams, John Whalley

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16th June 2018 – National KONP AGM

Good to be at the national KONP AGM in London today – great to catch up with people, important motions passed, and excellent speakers including Professor David McCoy (Professor of Health Policy, Queen Mary University, London), who spoke on the NHS in the context of European health systems. 

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15th June 2018 – Clarification is STILL required

WE HAVE REPEATEDLY asked the STP lead / Newcastle Gateshead CCG / North East Commissioning Service for a clarification of information relating to three specific areas – but, sadly, to no avail.
Emails sent out
17th January 2018
17th February 2018
24th March 2018
6th May 2018
We also wrote to the Freedom of Information Team at the CCG – but apparently there are no answers to our queries in written records.

It is fair to say that we did get the attached communication from Alan Foster (STP Lead for Cumbria and the North East) in April 2018 – but it STILL didn’t answer two of the three questions…and there has been nil response from Mr Foster following our email of 6th May 2018.

We have updated all of the Healthwatch teams in the NE, and have now written to the chair of the Joint STP Scrutiny Committee.

We believe our questions are CLEAR, RELEVANT and DESERVE A FULL WRITTEN RESPONSE – What do you think?????

Please click here Alan Foster April and NE Campaign Groups May 2018 for Alan Fosters communication and our more recent email dated 6th May 2018

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31st May 2018 – Marion Macalpine exhibition coming to Tyneside 

Marion Macalpine photo exhibition on NHS Privatisation coming to TYNESIDE – opens 23rd June 2018 for three weeks*.
Hosted by “Keep Our NHS Public North East”, and taking place at St.Thomas’ Church at the Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne city centre, this exhibition will demonstrate the growing corporate takeover and privatisation of our NHS. (*NB No exhibition on Thursday 5th July)

Reverend Jonathan Adams said 
“St.Thomas’ is right in the centre of the city, in front of the Civic Centre, by the Haymarket Metro, inbetween the two Universities. It is a place where people come to explore ideas about things they care about. Clearly the NHS is central to what we believe is valuable – about caring for one another. We are very glad to support the Macalpine exhibition – 23rd June for three weeks, Monday to Saturday, 10.30am to 4pm, free of charge. We’ll be delighted if people come, look at it, and consider what we really want for the future of our NHS”

29th May 2018 – Advance notice!!! NHS 70th Birthday events in the North East

OUR NHS: Celebrate and Protect for the Future

1) PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION ON TOUR – about NHS privatisation: “How Come We Didn’t Know?”, Marion Macalpine
This runs from Saturday 23rd June to Saturday 14th July 2018*, 10.30am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday, free entry, at St.Thomas Church, Haymarket, Newcastle (the church next to the Civic Centre). *NB No exhibition on Thursday 5th July.
We will need help in leafleting for this, once the exhibition starts – more info later….

24th May 2018 – Update from Judicial Review team

A message from the JR4NHS Team

Dearest supporters,

20th May 2018 – A response regarding A&E, Urgent Care, closure and privatisation….

At the end of March 2018, Mr Bas Sen (Consultant in Emergency Medicine, and Associate Medical Director at the RVI) sat alongside members of NewcastleGateshead CCG at a Council STP Scrutiny Committee focusing on Urgent Care (Gateshead, 20th March 2018). 
Following the meeting, KONPNE posed two important questions: 1) about the closure and centralisation of A&Es, and 2) about the privatisation of Urgent Care Centres in the NE region.
Please find our email questions and Mr Sen’s email response here Email to Mr Bas Sen, with response April 2018
He “accepts the argument regarding accessibility to local A&E Departments” but then downplays this in relation to other factors and, with regard to the private Vocare organisation which run much of our Urgent Care in the NE, he is “comfortable with the quality provided in local contracts”…..despite the poor performance of Vocare in other parts of the country…..

Your thoughts???

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17th May 2018 – KONPNE meeting

Interesting presentation and discussion this evening – our new format for the meeting allowing more time for an in-depth consideration of one issue. Many thanks to Malcolm for preparing the presentation and speaking, and to all who attended and contributed in many different ways. The agenda for the meeting is here 17.5.18 – KONPNE agenda and the notes from the meeting are here 17.5.18 – KONPNE notes of meeting.

Our next meeting is scheduled for late June – date tbc – hopefully at the same venue as the NHS Privatisation photo exhibition. As always…..ALL ARE WELCOME!!

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24th April 2018 – #Justice4NHS Judicial Review at Leeds High Court

The first of the two national Judicial Reviews took place today in Leeds High Court – much respect and very well done to the “999 Call for the NHS” Team for all your commitment and hard work regarding this initiative. KONPNE stands alongside 999 Call for the NHS in supporting #Justice4NHS

Click 999JR court report for a brief court update from the 999 Call for the NHS Team.

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23rd April 2018 – Parliament debates e-petition on NHS privatisation

Petition:
Stop the privatisation of NHS services
We call for a ban on the outsourcing (privatisation) of NHS services, and stop the renewal of any outsourcing contracts already signed. Companies should not be profiteering from NHS contracts, when every pound of NHS budgets is desperately needed for more doctors and nurses, and to pay them more.
Research by Bain & Company published by the Financial Times in January 2017, found that private-sector companies had been invited to bid for 14 per cent more NHS contracts in the 12 months to August 2016 than just a year previously. In March 2017 the Financial Times also reported of the extra £2bn given to the NHS in 2014 to try and bolster NHS services, according to data analysis carried out by the Health Foundation, an independent charity, only about half this extra money was spent in the NHS.

Watch the debate: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/dd85df77-1e1d-4f1b-bb9f-30a6f5e06a98

Read the transcript: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-04-23/debates/A43878B7-E1E8-4205-A7D2-6624BCF0E403/PrivatisationOfNHSServices

The petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/205106

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11th April 2018 – Fact (and Tory Party fantasy) at Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne

FACT (AND TORY PARTY FANTASY) AT GOSFORTH CIVIC THEATRE tonight, at the Mental Health Hustings organised and hosted by Newcastle Launchpad.

An interesting range of responses from Green, Labour and Tory candidates standing in Newcastle – Lib Dems were not present….

Keep Our NHS Public North East asked the final question of the night:
“KONPNE is made up of members of the public, all fighting against NHS cuts and privatisation. Accountable Care Organisations (renamed “Integrated Care Systems”) are an American import, characterised by privatised services, services underpinned by insurance schemes, piece-meal services, inequality and insecurity – none of which we need in our NHS. We ask the candidates: 1)Would you agree that ACO / ICS, as proposed by the Government, are underpinned by a privatisation agenda? 2)As a prospective Councillor in Newcastle, what will you do to stop the ACO / ICS privatisation rot?”

9th April 2018 – Ken Loach and “Spirit of 45” at Darlington

Fantastic evening last night in Darlington, meeting up with many people who support a publicly owned and publicly provided NHS. “The Spirit of 45” was screened, with Ken Loach present and engaging in a Q&A after the film. 
The evening was superbly organised by Louise and the team in Darlo, plus Waking Up To Climate Change, Food for Thought Darlington and The Forum Music Centre. 
*****If you live in the area: There are plans to further develop NHS campaigning activity in Darlington…watch this space for news, or get in touch at konpnortheast@gmail.com, and we will put you in touch with Louise*****

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5th April 2018 – Planning now started for NHS@70 celebrations in NE

Another busy KONPNE meeting this evening…..and whilst we develop the campaign for a publicly owned and publicly provided NHS, we also took time this evening to commence the planning for the KONPNE NHS@70 birthday celebrations here in the NE. Please contact us at konpnortheast@gmail.com if you wish to be part of the planning group for events in July.

The notes from this evenings meeting will be posted here when completed – many thanks Rachael. Our next KONPNE meeting will take place on Thursday 17th May – all welcome – full details here

Notes from the meeting are now available here:  5.4.18 – KONPNE notes of meeting

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4th April 2018 – Agenda now available for tomorrow night Thursday 5th April

Everyone is welcome at the next KONPNE meeting tomorrow night – Thursday 5th April.  Details are on the events page here, and please click here for the  5.4.18 – KONPNE agenda

….Come along – you are guaranteed a warm welcome!!

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25th March 2018  ….still waiting for a response from STP / NewcastleGateshead CCG / NECSU

                                                                             But, then again,

EMAIL 3:
24th March 2018
From: NE Health Campaigns
To: Newcastlegateshead CCG FOI team

Dear NewcastleGateshead CCG FOI team,

Further to the two emails ​(​attached)​, to which there has been nil reply, I would be grateful if you would please supply the following information​ in line with the Freedom of Information Act (2000​):

1) The initial draft NTWND STP went to public consultation in November 2016. Please clarify when you envisage an updated draft STP being made public for further engagement, consultation and agreement. 
This process is described in the attached document from Joe Corrigan (CCG) dated 14th February 2017 at point 7:3

2) Please clarify as to why the CCG has taken the decision for Workstreams / Boards to carry a definitive STP title, when an updated draft STP plan has yet to be made public and agreed. There is record, for example, of the “STP Prevention Workstream” and the “STP Prevention Board” – but, in point of fact, the “STP” for NTWND has yet to be decided.
Please also provide information as to how these committees can continue to carry out business in a credible manner without further formal engagement, consultation and agreement with members of the public – it is now almost seventeen months since the first draft appeared.

3) At two Joint STP Scrutiny meetings (13th November 2017 and 15th January 2018)​, there have been aside references by CCG staff to what seems a consideration of amalgamating the NTWND STP “footprint” with other areas south of the region and in Cumbria; please provide information and your rationale for this possible development.

4) The above information was initially requested on 17th January 2018, with ​an immediate email re​ply​ from Caroline Latta (NECS) indicating that the email has been received​ and that a response would be provided​.​ Regrettably, no response received from STP, CCG, or NECS staff.​
Our request for information was repeated four weeks later to the same people​, again with nil response. 
Both emails are attached.
NewcastleGateshead CCG mission statement (on website) states: “As a CCG, we are determined to hear the voices of patients and ensure that members of the public are involved in the design, delivery, improvement and monitoring of the services we commission”. 
Please provide details as to why in this instance there has been no response to our repeated request for information and, also, please comment on how you feel this fits with your declared mission statement regarding engagement with members of the public.

This email (as with our other communications regarding this request) is copied onto our social media and website, so that all members of our groups across the North East region​ and also other members of the public are updated and are aware of the situation; your response to this F​O​I request will also be shared in the same way.

We thank you for your attention​ to this matter

John Whalley, Co-ordinator, Keep Our NHS Public North East
Pauline McDonnell, Gateshead Keep Our NHS Public
Roger Nettleship, Chair, Save South Tyneside hospital Campaign
Carole Reeves, Co-ordinator, Durham Keep Our NHS Public

Click here to see the earlier emails  Email NGCCG NECSU 24th March 2018

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22nd March 2018 – Two unanswered questions…..

EMAIL FOLLOWING THE STP JOINT COUNCIL SCRUTINY COMMITTEE HELD IN GATESHEAD EARLIER THIS WEEK:

Dear Councillor

I am forwarding this email to all Councillors who sit on the NTWND STP Joint OSC / representatives.   Further to the most recent meeting on Monday 20th March 2018, it was regrettable that observers were not afforded an opportunity to comment or question – although I do, of course, wholly recognise the demands on time and the work of the Chair in looking at ways to enable more detailed discussion.

For your information, I wished to put two questions to the invited speakers regarding Urgent Care and A&E, and I provide the following related information to you now, for your information.

1) We concur with the important and key remarks at the meeting from Councillor John Robinson (Durham County Council) regarding the need to retain physical accessibility to A&E Departments – indeed, Mr Bas Sen,the speaker at the meeting also appeared to agree with this. We are, however, aware that across the country there are currently attempts to close local A&E departments and establish centralised resources.
The question to the speaker: Do you feel that the argument for centralising A&E services at one location in a city environment can be applied equally to the situation in a borough or rural community, where the availability of ambulances, response times, travel time and physical geography must also be factored in?

2) We concur with the remarks and concern at the meeting from Councillor Ann Schofield (Newcastle City Council) and other Councillors about dangers of privatisation in the NHS. It was, however, noted that no reference to the privatisation of “Urgent Care Centres” and “GP out of hours” services was made in the presentation by Mr Sen or by the CCG staff present. 
This “Vocare” document in the public domain:
www.vocare.org.uk/docs/Vocare%20RNS%20announcement.pdf
gives financial details and informs that the “Northern Doctors” organisation which provided out of hours responses was converted into a private limited company in 2015, changed its name to “Vocare” in 2016, and provided a range of NHS 111, GP out of hours and Urgent Care services in the North East and in other regions across the country. The head office is based just outside Newcastle upon Tyne. “Vocare”, in turn, was very recently bought out by the privately-owned “Totally Ltd” – please follow this link which outlines some of the issues associated with this private business:  http://999callfornhs.org.uk/nhs-detectives-2018/4593771080      The questions to the speaker: What is your view of “Totally Ltd” declaration that their purchase of Vocare “provides the company with a strong and commercially attractive opportunity” (see Vocare document, page 6) and, given local contracts with this company, what are your views on the CQC inspections regarding the quality of services provided by the company elsewhere in the country (see Vocare document, page 12)

We are aware that Councillors sitting on the NTWND STP Joint OSC share our concerns about these issues.
Further to the meeting on Monday, we have now written to Mr Bas Sen to seek his response.

Yours sincerely
John Whalley
Co-ordinator
Keep Our NHS Public North East

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KONPNE have also contacted the speaker at the meeting, Mr Bas Sen (Associate Medical Director RVI, also working into the Trauma Centre), for his comments on these questions, and have copied in Mark Adams (NewcastleGateshead CCG) and Caroline Latta (NECSU) who were also at the meeting.

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Information, agenda and minutes of this Committee are located here:
http://democracy.gateshead.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=305
The Committee meets every two months in Gateshead and is open to all to observe. Dates and times will be posted on the konpne website at www.konpnortheast.com/events

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22nd March 2018 – Council unanimous vote – NO ACO / NO ICS in North Tyneside

TONIGHT: NORTH TYNESIDE COUNCIL: UNANIMOUS CROSS-PARTY VOTE IN FAVOUR OF THE MOTION: “This council agrees that there is a growing body of evidence questioning the wisdom of ….Accountable Care Organisations / Integrated Care Systems (ACO/ICS)….This council agrees to oppose any proposal to implement the delivery of healthcare in North Tyneside via an ACO/ICS, a project which in the North Tyneside CCG’s own report was stated to be high risk”.

Well done Councillors Lesley Spillard, Sarah Day and Wendy Lott who brought the motion to the council, and to Councillors Leslie Miller, Kenneth Barrie, Margaret Hall, Gary Bell and Alison Wagott-Fairley who all spoke in favour of the motion.

17th March 2018 – Caroline Lucas supports KONPNE

Meeting John Whalley (Co-ordinator, Keep Our NHS Public North East) in Newcastle upon Tyne this afternoon, Caroline Lucas MP and Co-Leader of The Green Party sends her very best wishes to all at KONPNE and to all other health campaigns in the North East of England.
Caroline was very interested to hear about health campaign work across the region.
“ACO’s recognise the inefficiencies in the internal market, and the need for integrated health and social care – but the ACO proposals are driven by the ideology of private healthcare provision. They could hand over health and social care services for whole areas to the private sector. Greens are committed to a publicly funded, publicly provided health service which is free at the point of use”.

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10th March 2018 – North East March and Rally for the NHS; a loud and clear message to North East CCGs and NHSE

Stephen Tompkinson – 

“The underfunding of the NHS is a political decision that has resulted in huge pressures being placed on all NHS staff who are desparately trying to keep services going. And for patients there are longer waits for GP appointments, hours spent lying on trolleys in hospital corridors, rationing of treatments and avoidable deaths. Our NHS staff work hard – the problem is underfunding and cuts. The Sustainability and Transformation Plans, which the government and local clinical commissioning groups are trying to introduce, will lead to further cuts, closures and privatisation” 

>>>> THE Q&A >>>>

Keith Venables, national secretary of “Health Campaigns Together”, in action at the inspiring post Rally Q&A session at Brunswick Methodist Church Hall and, afterwards, meeting up with Laura Murrell and Dr Pam Wortley of the newly formed “Keep Our NHS Public Sunderland”. 

>>>> THANK YOU >>>>

7th March 2018 – KONPNE and UCU

Newcastle University UCU have passed a motion to support the North East March and Rally for the NHS on Saturday and, likewise, it was important to support Newcastle University UCU at their picket line this morning. Flyers for the March and Rally given out at Kingsgate and outside the Medical School at Newcastle University – Good wishes to the UCU.

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1st March 2018 – Stars shine for NHS!!

Appearing in the comedy “Art” at Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne….and now also appearing at the North East Rally for the NHS on 10th March, we welcome Stockton-born actor Stephen Tompkinson (Ballykissangel, DCI Banks), and co-stars Denis Lawson (Star Wars) and Nigel Havers (Chariots of Fire) who say NO to NHS cuts, NO to NHS closures.

Join us at the Rally on SATURDAY 10th MARCH: Up-to-date event details are here and the facebook event page is at https://www.facebook.com/events/780175362176239/

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25th February – Bethany Elen Coyle records “SONG FOR THE NHS”

First performed at the North East NHS march and rally in February 2017 – Bethany Elen Coyle has now recorded her wonderful SONG FOR THE NHS, with all proceeds to Keep Our NHS Public North East, and Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign. Bethany and Ron are with us again on the NE March and Rally for the NHS on 10th March in Newcastle – hear this track LIVE!!! (but buy it as well!!)

SONG FOR THE NHS is here: https://bethany-elen.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-the-nhs
Latest Info about the March and Rally is here: www.konpnortheast.com/events and the facebook event page is at https://www.facebook.com/events/780175362176239/

 

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22nd February 2018 – Lively discussions

Great to meet up with people again, and also to welcome many new faces to our KONPNE meeting this evening – we appreciated your participation, and hope that you felt welcomed.

Feedback from the last (very busy) month, and then much discussion around forthcoming events -including the March and Rally, liaison with councillors and contact with MPs. Lots done and lots to do.

The notes from the meeting will be posted here when completed – many thanks Rachael.

Our next KONPNE meeting will take place on Thursday 5th April – all welcome – full details here

The notes of the meeting are now available here: 22.2.18 – KONPNE notes of meeting

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21st February 2018 – agenda for the KONPNE meeting to be held on THURSDAY 22nd February 

This is here 22.2.18 – KONPNE agenda

Full details are here Upcoming Events

See you on THURSDAY at 6.30pm for tea / coffee, and meeting starts at 7pm

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20th February 2018 – Logobear for the NHS

Many thanks to Phil at Logobear Newcastle for the very generous discount to KONP supporters, family and friends – click KONPNE and LOGOBEAR to find out how to get your KONP teeshirt in superquick time next time you are in Newcastle!! Just right for the March and Rally in two weeks time!!

 

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17th February 2018 – No response from NewcastleGateshead CCG….

17th Feb 2018
From: NE Health Campaigns
To: Alan Foster, Mark Adams NewcastleGateshead CCG, Dr Guy Pilkington NewcastleGateshead CCG, Caroline Latta North East Commissioning Support Unit

Dear CCG / NECSU
Further to our request for information made over four weeks ago and your initial response, both emails copied below, it is disappointing that there has been nil further response. As stated in our email, there is a certain irony in this continued paucity of information, given that your presentation at the Joint STP Scrutiny Committee meeting on 15th January 2018 spoke about the importance of collaboration and, indeed, two of the councillors present highlighted the need for accessible information and greater public involvement.
Our groups do require a response to the three questions listed below. We have agreed to wait for one further week, and will then submit a FoI request for this information and supporting documentation.
Yours sincerely
John Whalley
Co-ordinator
Keep Our NHS Public North East

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17th January 2018
From Caroline Latta, NECSU

Just to confirm that I have received your information and requests on behalf of Alan, and I will come back to you once I have had a chance to speak to Alan.
Best wishes
Caroline
Caroline Latta
Senior communications and engagement locality manager

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17th January 2018
From: NE Health Campaigns
To: Alan Foster
cc Mark Adams NewcastleGateshead CCG
cc Dr Guy Pilkington NewcastleGateshead CCG
cc Caroline Latta North East Commissioning Support Unit

Dear Mr Foster

Further to the Joint STP Health Scrutiny Committee held on Monday 15th January 2018 at Gateshead Civic Centre, members of the health campaign groups present were surprised to hear your response to one of the questions raised.
When asked a pertinent and very reasonable question about the process and timescale for the CCG providing the next draft or version of the NTWND STP, the response provided by yourself was “the STP will be published when we have developed it”. There was no or minimal attempt from yourself to qualify or explain this statement.
The wording of your response and the lack of clarification is, of course, ironic given the lengthy prior discourse at the meeting around the importance of collaboration.
Your response was also provided in the context of the previous agenda item about the “STP Prevention Workstream”, and we heard of regional progress with the “STP Prevention Board” but, apparently, you state that there is no STP – an updated draft NTWND STP has yet to be completed.

All of the above is a good example of paucity of information compounding confusion and suspicion.

I would be grateful if you would please arrange to provide the following information:
1) The draft NTWND STP went to public consultation in November 2016. Please clarify when you envisage an updated draft STP being made public for further engagement and consultation. This process is described in the attached document from Joe Corrigan (CCG) dated 14th February 2017 at point 7:3
2) Please clarify as to why the CCG has taken the decision for Workstreams / Boards to carry a definitive STP title, when an updated draft STP plan has yet to be made public and agreed
3) At the two Joint STP Scrutiny meetings, there have been aside references by CCG staff to what seems a consideration of amalgamating the NTWND STP “footprint” with other areas south of the region and in Cumbria; information and your rationale for this possible development would be appreciated.

Your early written response is appreciated, and this will be forwarded to members via social media and website

John Whalley, Co-ordinator, Keep Our NHS Public North East
Pauline McDonnell, Gateshead Keep Our NHS Public
Roger Nettleship, Chair, Save South Tyneside hospital Campaign
Carole Reeves, Co-ordinator, Durham Keep Our NHS Public

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16th February 2018 – South Tyneside protest builds in momentum

Powerful lunchtime protest today, organised by The Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign to highlight the continued opposition to the downgrading of Children’s 24 hours Consultant Led A&E, downgrading of Consultant Led Maternity Services, the loss of inpatient Gynaecology and all hospital stroke services. 
Speeches from the campaign chair (pic), two local MPs (pic), Councillors, and Unions – plus much support from the people of South Shields (pic), hospital staff on their lunch-time break ….and passing traffic!
There is NO DOUBT – SSTHC has the support of the public. KONP North East were present, and it was good to meet up with members of KONP Sunderland (pic).

15th February 2018 – Newcastle Uni Labour Soc hosts KONPNE

NHS WORKSHOP – On Wednesday 15th of February, Newcastle University Labour Society hosted a talk with two representatives from KONPNE. Diane Jones and Julie Armstrong shared details of the continuing push towards privatisation. A very thorough account of the ongoing crisis was given, drawing attention to a range of issues. For example, the case of ACO’s and the judicial review against them. Furthermore, local issues were raised, including the continuing struggle to save South Tyneside maternity services.

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13th February 2018 – The March and Rally begin to take shape

Great planning meeting for the NE March and Rally for the NHS – many thanks to all who took part – all is beginning to take shape….MORE NEWS TO FOLLOW BUT WE CAN CONFIRM ***rally opened by Keith Venables, (co chair, “Health Campaigns Together”) ***speech by MP ***Unions ***update from health campaigns ***PLUS live music from Bethany Elen Coyle, Ron Brown and Blyth Valey Samba Band….. MORE TO FOLLOW!!! Keep the date free:::::Saturday 10th March 2018, 10.45 am, Newcastle – go to facebook event for details https://www.facebook.com/events/780175362176239/  or click here for website info

The planning meeting meeting tonight was open to all – the notes from the meeting are Feb 13 2018 Planning for 2018 March and Rally – many thanks Rachael! 

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9th February 2018 – Please assist….

Please help us to develop our campaign activity further over the coming months. 
If you are in a position to help financially with a monthly standing order, then this would be a huge help. All contributions are very gratefully received, however small. 
Our bank details are:
Bank – Co-op 
Sort code – 08 92 99 
Account – 65517907
Name – KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC – NE
Many thanks to all who kindly donate money. This is greatly appreciated, and every penny is used wisely in our campaign to Keep Our NHS Public.
It is fantastic to know that we have a committed group of supporters.

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8th February 2018 – NT Councillors speak in support of NHS

Members of KONPNE attended North Tyneside Council “Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing Sub-Committee this evening – item 7) on the agenda being “A Presentation on the Northumberland Accountable Care Organisation”.

The presentation was made by Birju Bartoli (Exec Director of Systems, Strategy and Transformation, Northumbria Healthcate NHS Trust). Assured by the Chair that this was a fact-finding agenda item, Councillor Lesley Spillard and Councillor Alison Waggott-Fairley made important pro-NHS statements about the privatisation agenda which clearly underpins ACO’s, and Councillor Tommy Mulvenna and Jenny McAteer (NT Healthwatch) highlighted the need for increased public involvement and consultation. We watch this space very closely and will rigorously oppose any attempt to further develop the Northumberland ACO approach in the NE.

Agenda / minutes / powerpoint from Birju Bartoli about ACOs:  https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/meeting/19035

https://www.england.nhs.uk/new-care-models/vanguards/care-models/primary-acute-sites/northumberland/

https://www.northumbria.nhs.uk/about-us/accountable-care-organisation-for-northumberland/

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7th February 2018 – Newcastle TUC AGM

A BIG THANKYOU to Newcastle TUC for inviting KONPNE to address the Newcastle TUC Annual General Meeting, held earlier tonight. Much discussion around regional and national developments – including the NTWND “Sustainability and Transformation Partnership” and around “Accountable Care Systems / Organisations”….or “Integrated Care Systems” as they are now known…..same proposed cuts, same proposed privatisation…..

Much to be aware of – and much to guard against.

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3rd February 2018 – National Day of Action for the NHS

MANY THANKS from KONPNE and North East Peoples Assembly to all who assisted at todays city centre campaign information stall and to all members of the public for your support – great to join together across the country with NHS supporters at the mega march in London and in 50 plus towns and cities. We join together in demanding
* an end to the winter crisis with a cash injection to restore the NHS budget
* commitment to increased funding each year
* end the cap on NHS pay
* no cuts, no closures, no privatisation

The campaign stall at the Monument attracted much information – information about privatisation and ACO’s, leaflets about Branson and Virgin, contact information for campaigns groups across the NE, advance information about the North East March and Rally for the NHS (click here) and our campaign petition – a loud and clear message to all NewcastleGateshead CCG:
NO ACOs HERE.
NO CUTS OR CASH DRIVEN CLOSURES TO NORTH EAST HEALTH SERVICES

Thanks also to MetroRadio for reports every hour, and to the Chronicle for extensive reporting and videowork – click here

People queueing to sign the petition at the Monument – an average of one person every thirty seconds. A LOUD AND CLEAR MESSAGE TO NEWCASTLEGATESHEAD CCG: We believe in a publicly funded, publicly provided and publicly accountable NHS. We do not accept the underfunding of the NHS and social care, with the subsequent cuts to services in the North East.

ACO’s? Not in our name.

 

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20th January 2018 – Lively HCT conference at Leeds

Proud to be representing North East campaigners at the “Health Campaigns Together” conference in Leeds on 20.1.18 are speakers Gemma Taylor (Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign), William Jarrett (Save North Tyneside NHS), Katie Scott (Save Rothbury Community Hospital), Liz Greener (Durham Keep Our NHS Public), John Whalley (Keep Our NHS Public North East) plus twenty more people who travelled down from the North East to Leeds in the minibus, cars and public transport. Great to spend time together and also link up with other health campaigns across the whole northern region – a sense of solidarity and inspiration – and many thanks to HCT and Leeds KONP for superb organisation.

A KONPNE video of images from the event is on the youtube channel here

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19th January 2018 – Standing room only at Sunderland!

for the inaugural meeting of “Sunderland and District Keep Our NHS Public”. Pam Wortley, Chair, welcomed speakers Sharon Hodgson (MP, Washington and Sunderland West), Gemma Taylor (Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign) and John Whalley (Keep Our NHS Public North East), and then invited questions from the floor. Much energy in the room tonight – the Sunderland KONP will go from strength to strength….no doubt about that! Many congratulations, and very best wishes.

Watch the LAUNCH EVENT for Sunderland and District Keep Our NHS Public.

Video A: Introductory speech from Pam Wortley (Sunderland KONP) and speech from Gemma Taylor (Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign) 
https://youtu.be/6fuHwANmEug

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18th January 2018 – Packed agenda for KONPNE meeting

is here 18-1-18 -konpne-agenda and the notes from the meeting (thanks Rachael!) are posted here 18-1-18 Notes from KONP Meeting . Much discussion and campaign planning – about links and campaign work with MPs, councillors, university, and about our street event with Peoples Assembly in February, and about the NE March and Rally for the NHS in March 2018. Lots happening….

Please also see information here about our next meeting. All of our meetings are open – and you are assured a warm welcome.

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15th January 2018 – A poor show from North East CCG

Todays “Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and North Durham STP Health Scrutiny Committee”, held at Gateshead Civic Centre, comprised three councillors from each of the seven local councils (some apologies were given), plus observers from health campaign groups and other members of the public.

We were pleased to hear local councillors speaking out about the dangers of ACO’s and further privatisation in the NHS.  However, the CCG contributed “Item 5: Role of Accountable Care Organisations: Mark Adams, Joint Lead for Combined Cumbria and North East STP will provide the Joint Committee with a verbal update on the above” and this proved to be a wholly inadequate explanation of the concept of ACO’s as advocated by NHSE. Whilst Mark Adams commented that there is, as yet, no model for ACO’s in the North East, he took time to emphasise the benefits of collaboration within an ACO model but, in our view, minimised the fact that the ACO model operates within a business framework and, thereby, runs a significant risk of large scale privatisation. We felt his “update” and responses to questions to be evasive and, indeed, felt such to be misleading about the reality of the situation. We have written to the Chair of the Committee, with copies to all committee Councillors and CCG staff present – see Email to Councillor L Caffrey 17.1.18. 

Unfortunately, the situation gets worse…when Alan Foster, co-lead for the STP in the north was asked a pertinent and very reasonable question about the process and timescale for the CCG providing the next draft or version of the NTWND STP, the response provided was “the STP will be published when we have developed it”, with no or minimal attempt to qualify or explain the statement. The wording of the response and the lack of clarification is, of course, ironic given the lengthy prior discourse at the meeting around the importance of collaboration….and the response was also provided in the context of a previous agenda item about the “STP Prevention Workstream”, and the “STP Prevention Board” …..but, apparently, there is no STP – an updated draft NTWND STP has yet to be completed. A good example of paucity of information compounding confusion and suspicion. We need answers – please see Email to Alan Foster 17.1.18, and we will keep you updated.

Here is the link to the minutes of the previous meeting in Nov 2017 and to the agenda for 15th January 2018. We will let you know when the next meeting is.
http://democracy.gateshead.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=305&MId=1847

A poor show from NewcastleGateshead CCG (representing the North East CCGs). 

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9th January 2018 – Newcastle residents care about Urgent Care

NewcastleGateshead CCG are reviewing Urgent Care provision in Newcastle.
The CCG have conducted an “early listening” phase, essentially getting peoples opinion about Urgent Care, and have stated that they MAY enter into full engagement and consultation phases at some point in the New Year – this will be required if the CCG recommend any significant changes.

Please click on the three links at item 6 on the following Council document:
http://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1018&MId=8098&Ver=4

4th January 2018 – JR4NHS CrowdJustice fundraising reaches target

URGENT LEGAL ACTION FOR OUR NHS. Well done to all supporters of the legal challenge campaign. led by Prof Stephen Hawking, Prof Allyson Pollock and colleagues – an amazing response!

Please see message below, and update on the website at https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/jr4nhs/

Dearest Round 1 and Round 2 supporters, We have this evening reached our Round 2 target of £144,000. Absolutely amazing. Thanks to every single person who has donated – over 5,000 donations, an average of £28 – and to all the many individuals and groups who have spread the word in so many different ways and made this possible. This gives us such a boost and a clear signal of the support behind the case. There has been such a surge of support over the last couple of days that we’ve decided to keep the fundraising open until Sunday morning when it’s scheduled to end, so that donations can still be made. I will write further again very soon with more information on where the case is at. Peter

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1st January 2018 – A sincere thankyou and best wishes from all at KONPNE

A sincere thankyou and best wishes to all for 2018.

Much achieved….please see this five minute video, which summarises some of the campaign activity over the past twelve months. 
Please click here:
https://youtu.be/TP78ZC6-L6k

This is also on our facebook and twitter – please share!

and much to do….we will be emailing in two days time with news of events later this month and beyond….

But for the moment, we just want to say a big THANKYOU for your involvement – it is very much appreciated.
We wish you a happy, peaceful and healthy 2018

John Whalley
Co-ordinator
Keep Our NHS Public North East

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20th December 2017 – Raring To Go – dates now confirmed for KONPNE 2018

RARING TO GO IN 2018 – We are now able to confirm the dates of our Campaign planning meetings for next year; all on Thursdays, 6.30pm for tea and coffee, 7pm start and finishing at 8.45pm; and all at our new home – Meeting Room 1 at Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle city centre. 
Thursdays:
18th January
22nd February
5th April
17th May
28th June
6th September

There is a choice of lift or stairs to the meeting room on the first floor – but please still contact us beforehand  at konpnortheast@gmail.com if you are a wheelchair user. The Methodist Church is situated in Newcastle city centre and is located under one minute from Greys Monument / Monument Metro, at the end of the small access road which runs between Waterstones and Jamie’s Italian. 

We look forward to meeting up with KONPNE supporters – and if you have not yet joined us, then make it your New Year resolution! We guarantee a warm welcome!! We welcome all who care about the future of our NHS !!

Details about our next meeting are here

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20th December 2017 – Urgent Care services under review in Newcastle

NewcastleGateshead CCG are reviewing Urgent Care provision in Newcastle.
The CCG are at an “early listening” phase, essentially getting peoples opinion about Urgent Care, and have stated that they MAY enter into full engagement and consultation phases at some point in the New Year – this will be required if the CCG recommend any significant changes.

Please click on the three links at item 6 on the following Council document:
http://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1018&MId=8098&Ver=4

19th December 2017 – Sunderland KONP soon to be launched

Every so often, we are able to announce some good news!!
It is our great pleasure to confirm that a SUNDERLAND KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC group will be launched in January 2018. This is a superb development and we wish them well. We will be advertising the details of the launch event as soon as this is confirmed by the new Sunderland team – in the interim, if you (or any friends / colleagues) live in the Sunderland area and wish to get involved with this new initiative, then please contact us at konpnortheast@gmail.com, and we will forward your details to the Sunderland organisers. A very warm welcome!

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8th December 2017 – Urgent Legal Action for Our NHS / JR4NHS CrowdJustice commences

The CrowdJustice appeal is underway, led by
> Dr Graham Winyard CBE – former Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Vice President of the Faculty of Public Health, and Medical Director of the NHS in England where he led the development of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
> Dr Colin Hutchinson – former Consultant Eye Surgeon in Halifax and Huddersfield and current Executive Committee member of Doctors for the NHS.
> Professor Allyson Pollock – public health doctor, Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University, member of Keep Our NHS Public, former chair of the NHS Consultants’ Association, and co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill.
> Professor Sue Richards – former senior civil servant in the Cabinet Office, a Director of the National School of Government and Professor of Public Management at Birmingham University, and co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public.
> Professor Stephen Hawking, the world-renowned cosmologist and a long-time proponent of the NHS.

This funding will enable a Judicial Review which aims to stop Hunt and NHS England from introducing new commercial, non-NHS bodies to run health and social services without proper public consultation and without full Parliamentary scrutiny. 

This is undoubtedly AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD in challenging the STP / Accountable Care Organisation approach being advocated by the Government.

THE CROWDJUSTICE FUNDRAISER WILL COVER LEGAL COSTS FOR HEARINGS. The team say:  It is impossible at this moment to know exactly what course the case will take. We need to have sufficient funds to cover the substantive hearing but also to be able to respond to all potential eventualities – such as permission being refused. For now, we estimate that an additional £120,000 (including VAT) would enable us to see the case through to a substantive hearing and judgment, and so we have a Round 2 stretch target of £144,000.

This would also help cover the risk of losing and being ordered to pay two sets of costs. Whilst we will ask the Court to cap our liability for costs, the Court cannot do so until after permission is granted.

PLEASE GO TO:  https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/jr4nhs-round2/

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8th December 2017 – South Tyneside CrowdJustice commences

Commencing today, and with help from specialist public lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign is challenging the legality of the decision to remove some vital local hospital services at South Tyneside Hospital.

They say “This is a huge challenge but if we work together we believe that we can help to Save South Tyneside Hospital. This is a David and Goliath situation – the NHS have already engaged lawyers and consultants to advise on the proposed changes. The changes are likely to be introduced very soon and therefore we need to act quickly. Some changes are already being made and we will obtain advice about whether the changes have been made lawfully”.

8th December 2017 – Huge turnout for South Tyneside SCBU and Maternity

Very lively lunchtime Protest, organised by the “Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign”, all in support of Maternity services and the Special Care Baby Unit, which have suddenly been relocated outwith South Tyneside. This follows the hospital Trusts claim that the service provided was unsafe due to staffing difficulties. But where are the adverts for more staff????

KONPNE joins with the “Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign” in calling for the re-opening of the Hospital Maternity and Special Care Baby Unit….and it sounds like more effective management is needed also – this situation should never have happened.

More information about the South Tyneside Campaign is at: http://www.savesouthtynesidehospital.org/

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6th December 2017 – Urgent Care is decided in North Tyneside

North Tyneside CCG website reports 

“In response to patients’ comments, patients will be able to use the Urgent Treatment Centre on a walk-in basis from 8am to midnight, in line with the current opening hours at Rake Lane walk-in centre. People will also be able to use the centre during the night by appointments booked via NHS 111. A home visiting service will also remain in place as planned.”

“Organisations bidding to provide the service will be asked to identify a suitable site. This may be an existing walk-in centre, or another location within North Tyneside.”

“The current urgent care services at Battle Hill Health Centre and Rake Lane will continue to operate until they are replaced by the new service in October 2018.”

This does, of course, fall far short of the 24/7 service which was deemed necessary by the self same CCG earlier this year and, indeed, went out to tender  – but which subsequently morphed into the above reduced service. The two North Tyneside MPs have, previously, publicly stated their dissatisfaction with the CCG proposal and the North Tyneside councillors unanimously voted in support of a 24/7 service, but it appears that their representations to the CCG fell on deaf ears…

See details at:

https://www.northtynesideccg.nhs.uk/ccg-decides-future-nhs-urgent-care-services-north-tyneside/

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4th December 2017 – Now NIL maternity in South Tyneside

Press Release – South Tyneside Hospital Campaign – 04-12-2017

The Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign points out that, as we are, people contacting us have been shocked and angered on the latest announcement to “temporarily pause” in the delivery of babies at South Tyneside maternity unit. This follows closely on the previous shock announcement two days before to “temporarily” close the Special Care Baby Unit. We have been contacted also by many of the staff who are equally angered by this decision.

Roger Nettleship, Chair of Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign, states:

“This has really shocked and angered everyone. Here is a Sunderland based Executive team that has come in with all its pretensions of a “path to excellence”, yet there is nothing excellent in the way they are managing the erosion of our hospital services in South Tyneside. There is nothing “safe and sustainable” about what they are doing to one of the best performing Maternity services in the country and what about the massive stress they are creating for the 165 mums-to-be over the next few weeks. This is crisis management and crisis driven wrecking of our acute hospitals”.

See events page for details of the Rally outside South Tyneside General Hospital on Friday 8th December

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4th December 2017 – In todays Journal….

The Governing Body of North Tyneside CCG due to meet tomorrow (Tuesday 5th December) to consider the future of urgent care services.  The meeting will be held in public at 11am at 12 Hedley Court, Orion Business Park, North Shields, NE29 7ST.

Link to NT CCG information about the meeting is here

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2nd December 2017 – Now THIS is what we call public consultation…..

Many conversations today regarding the need to retain a 24/7 Urgent Care walk-in service in North Tyneside.

Hosted by “Save North Tyneside NHS”, and held in the heart of North Shields town centre on a busy Saturday lunchtime, this very active public rally featured an open mic which was accepted by three local health campaign groups, local organisations, and importantly MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. Now THIS is what we call public engagement…..
Many thanks to the “Save North Tyneside NHS” group for the superb hosting.

The two North Tyneside MPs and all of the North Tyneside councillors have, in the last month, expressed their disagreement with the North Tyneside CCG proposal and, at the most recent Council meeting on 23rd November, the NT councillors have requested the Elected Mayor to resolve the situation with the CCG. It is apparent that North Tyneside CCG has no public mandate to take their proposal forward. Furthermore, all of this has occurred within a context of lack of public consultation – it appears that local democracy has been disregarded by the CCG

See posts below for updates on the North Tyneside CCG proposals to permanently close the overnight Urgent Care walk-in in North Tyneside. If the NT CCG plans proceed, there is quite clearly an accident waiting to happen.

John Whalley spoke on behalf of the KONPNE membership – read the transcript of the speech here: North Shields Rally – December 2017

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1st December 2017 – “Temporary” closure of Special Care Baby Unit

Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign Press Release 1-12-2017

30th November 2017 – Much discussion!! And a new home for KONPNE!!

Another very busy meeting – and great to welcome new supporters also!

Plans made to liaise more closely with councillors, and to develop a targetted campaign around the NHS Bill in the New Year.

The agenda is here: 30-11-17-konpne-agenda  and notes from the meeting are here: 30-11-17-konpne-notes of meeting

Agreed that we continue to hold our meetings at the new venue – Brunswick Methodist hall. Agreed that the venue is central, and meets our needs very well.

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29th November 2017 – Email to North Tyneside Councillors

Dear Councillor Hall, Councillor Green and Councillor Day

I am writing on behalf of the many members of the “Keep Our NHS Public North East” group who reside in North Tyneside. I personally am also a resident in the Borough. 

Members have asked that I write to you to express our full agreement and support with the Motion which you presented to the Council on the 23rd November 2017 regarding the need to retain a 24/7 Urgent Care service at Rake Lane. We agree with you that, at the very least, the people of North Tyneside deserve full consultation, and it is wholly unacceptable that this has not taken place – the CCG “engagement” period of the last month is, of course, generally regarded as being both a sham and disrespectful. It is, indeed, extremely positive that your Motion was supported unanimously by your fellow Councillors.

Our group has informed North Tyneside CCG of our grave concerns regarding their proposal, and we are also meeting with North Tyneside Healthwatch next week. We are aware of a public rally in North Tyneside at the weekend which has been called with specific regard to the North Tyneside CCG proposal, and which is currently receiving much attention in social media. We also note that in addition to yourselves and the unanimous support of North Tyneside Councillors, our two MPs have also publicly voiced their great dissatisfaction with the proposal and the fact that the opinion of residents has not been properly sought. Apart from the obvious issues around the accessibility of health care, it does feel that local democracy has been overridden by North Tyneside CCG.

You will be aware that there is now a groundswell of opinion against the North Tyneside CCG proposal and the associated process, and we now look to our Mayor to take this further.

We have updated our membership about the current situation via email, website, facebook and twitter, with much positive feedback regarding your actions and your Motion. Additionally, I have emailed the Chronicle and the North Tyneside free papers earlier today, so that they are also fully appraised of the current situation.

I have copied this email to all members of the Health and Wellbeing Committee, Adult Social Care and Health and Wellbeing Sub-Committee, Mayor and Deputy Mayor, our two Members of Parliament and the North Tyneside Healthwatch Director and Chair.

With regards

John Whalley

Co-ordinator – KONPNE

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27th November 2017 – Slides from the Profs Himmelstein / Woolhandler lecture

Many people have asked for an opportunity to study the powerpoint slides from the recent Profs Himmelstein and Woolhandler lecture, and KONPNE are pleased to confirm that these have now arrived from across the Atlantic and are available here:

Himmelstein Woolhandler slides 2017

Many thanks to Professor Allyson Pollock for arranging and hosting this event in Newcastle, and to Professor David Himmelstein and Professor Steffi Woolhandler for the powerful and memorable presentation. We need to make sure that we learn from the situation over in America – and make sure that we don’t learn the hard way.

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23rd November 2017 – North Tyneside Councillors say NO

The proposals of North Tyneside CCG to permanently close the overnight walk-in Urgent Care service received a resounding NO from Councillors.  At the full meeting of North Tyneside Council on 23.11.17, Councillors voted UNANIMOUSLY to request the Mayor to
1) write to the CCG and the Minister of Health to retain the 24/7 urgent care centre at Rake Lane hospital and request a full consultation be undertaken throughout the Borough on these controversial proposals. 
2) campaign locally for the retention of our 24/7 urgent care centre at Rake Lane.

21st November 2017 – Budget Day Action

Click images to enlarge

Good to be at the Peoples Assembly North East “Budget Day Action and Big Winter Foodbank Collection” tonight and to stand together in opposing the Governments austerity measures which are affecting all aspects of public life – massive changes and cuts in benefits, education, housing, social care, policing, emergency services and – yes – the NHS
Excellent speakers urged the Government to use the Budget to scrap their plans for Universal Credit, to act to end the continuing drop in living standards, to end the public sector pay cap, and to invest in our public services.

13th November 2017 – North East STP Health Scrutiny Committee meets for the first time

 

 

The inaugural meeting of the “Northumberland Tyne and Wear and North Durham STP Health Scrutiny Committee” was held tonight at Gateshead Civic Centre. All seven Councils in the STP were represented by three Councillors each.

Councillor Mary Foy (Gateshead Council) was appointed as Chair and Councillor Wendy Taylor (Newcastle City Council) was appointed Vice Chair.

The meeting was also well attended by approx twenty members of the public as observers, including members of health campaign groups from across the North East.

11th November 2017 – From the top…..

EMAIL FROM A KONPNE SUPPORTER TO THE NORTH TYNESIDE COUNCILLORS WHO SIT ON THE NORTHUMBERLAND, TYNE, WEAR AND NORTH DURHAM STP HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 

Dear Councillors

I am a former Director of Public Health in North Manchester and have spent my whole career in the NHS, trying to ensure that the NHS, Local Authorities and other related bodies implement the aims of the NHS to provide a comprehensive health service for all, funded from taxation, and free at the time of use, and to work towards reducing the health inequalities which still blight our country.

10th November 2017 – Trying to push things through quickly???

Members of KONPNE attended the NT Council Health and Wellbeing Sub-Committee last night, which is open to all members of the public. Shortly before the meeting, Councillor Karen Clark (chair) had taken the positive step in postponing the CCG agenda item about the proposed overnight closure of the Urgent Care service, as the CCG had wanted councillors to approve it – and the councillors felt that this was outwith their remit. Councillor Clark also noted that it is still the engagement period, and information from the CCG about their current period of “engagement” would be appreciated! 

Another example of North Tyneside CCG trying to push things through quickly?

The NT CCG report about their Urgent Care proposal is here (see pages 10-34)

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9th November 2017 – JR4NHS: now TWO legal cases are being considered…and funding secured from members of the public within 24 hours!!

Prof Allyson Pollock and colleagues have written to the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, to give him notice of their intention to seek a judicial review to stop NHS England from introducing new commercial, non-NHS bodies to run health and social services without proper public consultation and without full Parliamentary scrutiny.

These non-NHS bodies, known as Accountable Care Organisations (ACOs), originate in the US and will fundamentally change the NHS and involve a radical reorganisation of health and social services in England. They will have control over the allocation of NHS and taxpayers’ money. Their accountability for spending it and their obligations to the public will be under commercial contracts, not statutes. Prof Pollock states: “This is a critical time in the move to the privatisation and Americanisation of the NHS in England. It’s going to be a big fight to stop this and we need everybody to help”.

4th November 2017 – Huge conference gathering in Hammersmith

The NE was well represented at the “Health Campaigns Together” Conference today in London. Members of KONPNE and Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign travelled to Hammersmith – a great opportunity to share experiences and to meet with people from other health campaign groups from across the country.

Great speech from KEN LOACH on the NHS – hear this here

Video message from Jonathan Ashworth to the conference is here

The next HCT conference is scheduled for Saturday January 20th 2018 in Leeds – more information is here  Please keep the date free…..and join us in Yorkshire?

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2nd November 2017 – Journal letter….and still awaiting information requested from NT CCG

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30th October 2017 – ACO’s not welcome in the North East

Tonights lecture “IS US STYLE HEALTHCARE THE FUTURE FOR ENGLAND?” provided detailed, thought-provoking….and very worrying information to a packed lecture hall. Professor Allyson Pollock (Newcastle University) set the UK scene by reviewing the “Accountable Care Organisation” model currently being advocated by NHS England, followed by guests Professor Steffie Woolhandler and Professor David Himmelstein (both of City University of New York) who reported on their impressively extensive body of research spanning many years which highlights how the “Accountable Care Organisation” system in the US has clearly led to increased costs, reduced efficiency, privatisation and has, indeed, increased inequalities within society.
IS THIS THE FUTURE FOR ENGLAND?
The audience tonight comprised local councillors, Union activists, health campaigners, members of community groups, qualified and trainee medics and nurses (and other health professions), people from across the political spectrum and members of the public who care deeply about the future of the NHS. 
We all need to take responsibility in doing something about this NOW – at the national level by ensuring that MPs sign up to the NHS Bill and at a local level by joining a local health campaign and fighting against cash-driven hospital closures and fighting FOR a fully-funded, publicly owned and publicly provided NHS. On an individual and practical level, we need to ensure that all information about the reality of ACO’s is relayed to all members of the public, including local councillors.

 

“COMPLETELY THE WRONG DIRECTION TO BE GOING IF PRIORITIES ARE EFFICIENCY AND TO COVER EVERYONE WITH AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE”
Check out the video here from Prof Woolhandler and Prof Himmelstein. ACO’s =
> Increased costs
> no evidence of improved quality
> driving healthcare into corporate hands
> generates inequalities within society

“ACO’s ARE POTENTIALLY VERY DETRIMENTAL TO THE NHS”
Check out the video here. North East GP and Chair of North East BMA Dr George Rae comments on “Accountable Care Organisations” and how the lecture highlights:
> ACO’s potentially very detrimental to NHS
> Finance is very dominant part of thinking re ACO’s
> Need to be more awareness about what is happening to NHS
> Clinicians and public need to be consulted and listened to

“WE NEED TO STOP ACO’s HAPPENING HERE”
Check out the video here as Diane Jones of “Keep Our NHS Public North East” sets out three positive ways forward.
> Write to your MP re supporting NHS Reinstatement Bill
> Collect our leaflet, log on, join the Campaign, find out what you can do locally to stop ACO’s progressing
> Become active in the Campaign – please work with us

…and these slides more or less speak for themselves…the slide on the left demonstrating the growth in the number of US physicians (yellow line at the bottom) v growth in health administrators (blue block) 1970 – 2017

and the second slide demonstrating how USA spending on health exceeds total spending in all other nations

…and we are now importing this very same US “Accountable Care Organisation” model…..?

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28th October 2017 – Co-leader of Green Party sends good wishes to all health campaigners in the North East

27th October 2017 – North Tyneside MPs brand latest CCG proposal as “UNACCEPTABLE”

Joint statement from Mary Glindon MP and Alan Campbell MP regarding proposed permanent overnight closure of North Tyneside Urgent Care walk in facility:

“The CCG proposal as it stands is unacceptable. Effectively the temporary closure of the Urgent Care Centre at Rake Lane is to become permanent, without proper consultation but with a so called “engagement exercise” instead. Residents across North Tyneside will be receiving a lesser service than patients at Wansbeck and Hexham where a 24 hour service has resumed, despite them being less busy centres. The reason for that is entirely the fault of North Tyneside CCG who took the decision not to reopen, at the last minute.

26th October 2017 – North Tyneside CCG proposes PERMANENT night-time closure of Urgent Care department 

Well – the headline speaks for itself.

Click on the link here for the Chronicle report on the proposed closure, and the link here for the Chronicle report which gives the response of the two North Tyneside MPs.

Much more information about this proposal is obviously required from North Tyneside CCG, plus the time for North Tyneside residents to talk about and to consider this proposal properly. If North Tyneside CCG truly wish to engage with residents in North Tyneside about health developments, then they will need to ensure that a full and proper consultation about this important matter is scheduled. 

Find here EMAIL 26th October 2017 North Tyneside CCG the email sent to North Tyneside CCG from KONPNE this afternoon, with copies to North Tyneside health campaigners, MPs, councillors, Healthwatch and local press, as described. 

We will keep you updated

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17th October 2017 – Message from Rothbury

From Katie Scott, Save Rothbury Hospital Campaign:

Dear Friends

Victory! We won a considerable victory this morning – the Scrutiny Committee voted to refer the case to the Secretary of State for Health!

17th October 2017 – Future of Rothbury Hospital ward goes to Secretary of State

A packed council chamber….and the deeply unpopular proposed changes re in-patient ward closure at Rothbury was discussed at the Northumberland County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee this morning.

The sketchy proposals brought by Northumberland CCG were considered by Northumberland Councillors to be lacking in a number of areas, including not bringing their proposals to the Scrutiny Committee in a timely manner, the quality of the CCG data was questioned, and there appeared great uncertainty as to the benefits of the proposed changes (commissioning a nebulous and non-specific “health and wellbeing centre”….whatever that means). Thus it proved absolutely no surprise that the Council voted against the CCG proposal (2 votes for, 5 votes against, 1 abstention) and, instead, it was agreed to refer the matter to the Secretary of State.

Well done Katie Scott and the Rothbury team who are fighting to retain the in-patient ward at Rothbury. It is crucial that the in-patient facility remains at Rothbury. The journey continues….

The comprehensive report written by the Rothbury Campaign Team is here

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14th October 2017 – Hundreds walk in South Shields to save acute hospital services

Todays March and Rally, organised by Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign, was one of many Campaign activities arranged in response to the deeply flawed proposals to downgrade hospital services at South Shields in areas including stroke, obstetrics and gynaecology (including maternity) and emergency care for children. 
Last year, when the first march and rally was held the campaign had listed 10,000 signatures…. now the petition holds more than 30,000 signatures….say no more!

Many thanks to Roger, Gemma and all at the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign team for all of your continuing hard work south of the Tyne and for arranging such a successful event today.

John Whalley spoke on behalf of Keep Our NHS Public North East, and his speech is here:  SSTHC Rally – October 2017 – live version

Report from the Shields Gazette is here

…and some photos of this great event are here….

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14th October 2017 – audio and slides now available

We are pleased to confirm that there is now a  direct link below to the Newcastle University “Insights” website which contains the audio and slides from Professor Pollocks open lecture of 12th October – 

Please click here 

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12th October 2017 – Standing room only….

well…actually…the crowd of people attending the Allyson Pollock open lecture at Newcastle University tonight was so ginormous that an overspill lecture theatre needed to be made available, and the lecture relayed there also….so everyone got seats in the end….

“The dismantling of our NHS and why we need a NHS Bill to reinstate it”

Ultra-specific and crystal clear in detail, Professor Pollock outlined the ins and outs of health policy over the past twenty years, culminating in the Accountable Care Systems of today – an American import which is clearly orientated to a private health takeover.

Our NHS was the model for the rest of the world in 1948 – low cost, efficient and universal – and many European countries followed our health care model. We now need to reinstate it to public ownership. It is not too late, but we do require a change in law – and we can all contribute to making this happen.

One quick AND VERY EFFECTIVE intervention from yourself is 
1) check www.nhsbillnow to determine if your MP supports the NHS Bill
2) if not, please email your MP to ask that s/he supports the NHS Bill and arranges for a photo to be taken holding the poster in Margaret Greenwoods office at Westminster.
The address of your MP is located here:
www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

Information is also available at www.allysonpollock.com

 

 

Many thanks to the Insights Lecture team at Newcastle University for organising this public lecture – KONPNE has enquired as to whether a recording has been made, and we will keep you updated about this.

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1st October 2017 – We cross the Pennines….and Tories get the message in Manchester

Congratulations to the Peoples Assembly for organising the massive and highly successful march on the Tory party conference in Manchester today. KONPNE were there, alongside at least three coaches of people from the North East, plus the many others who travelled independently over the Pennines by car and train. 50,000 people in Manchester said NO to austerity and NO to the desperate Tory policy of privatisation and cuts to public services. We are the many and they are the few… the movement is gathering in strength and energy. Many thanks to North East Peoples Assembly, and to the North East Unions who arranged transport, and to all who travelled and joined in.

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19th September 2017 – KONPNE at council meetings

KONPNE are keen for members to attend local council meetings (“Health and Wellbeing” and also “Health Scrutiny” meetings) so that we have a presence at these meetings and are able to keep up-to-date with Council decisions regarding the local “Sustainability and Transformation Plan”…are you able to assist? These Council meetings are all open to the public, and you will not be expected to speak. Please contact us at konpnortheast@gmail.com if you are able to attend the Newcastle Council (at the Civic Centre), North Tyneside (at the Quadrant, Silverlink) or Northumberland County Council (at County Hall, Morpeth)
Forthcoming council meetings are:
Newcastle – 10th Oct 4.30pm, 12 Oct 4.30pm
North Tyneside – 9th November 6pm, 16th November 2pm,
Northumberland – 3rd October 10am, 12th October 10am
We will check the agenda’s in the week beforehand to check that relevant items are listed for discussion.

14th September 2017 – Newcastle Lecture and Q&A published today 

Earlier in July, Keep Our NHS Public North East were very pleased to welcome Professor Allyson Pollock, Director, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University.

Professor Pollock delivered a Public Lecture (1 hour) and Q&A session (30 mins) as part of the NHS 69th Birthday events:

“Post-election reflections on the fate of the NHS in England and health and social care services in the North East”

The event was filmed in Newcastle, and the video may be viewed from today at

KONPNE youtube channel:   https://youtu.be/mrOOsbsZW6k

www.facebook.com/NHSPublicNorthEast (see post on 14th September)

https://twitter.com/KONPNorthEast (see post on 14th September)

Professor Allyson Pollock joins with Dr Helen Groom (Keep Our NHS Public North East), who introduced the event.

KONPNE were fortunate in being able to book the atmospheric and historic Neville Hall at the Institute of Mining, Newcastle upon Tyne, for the Public Lecture by Professor Allyson Pollock. In the following brief video, Simon Brooks (Centre Manager) sets the scene for the evening by providing a historical overview of the venue: https://youtu.be/WTq3H3Id1fA

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5th September 2017 – busy KONPNE meeting and superb presentation by the South Tyneside team

A busy KONPNE meeting tonight – lots discussed including the NHS Bill, ways of increasing liaison with councillors (focus on email information and attending relevant council meetings), the proposed motion to the Labour Party conference, and future events – the Peoples Assembly national protest in Manchester on 1st October, the public meeting being planned in the North East for late October (details out soon), and the Health Campaigns Together conference in London on 4th November.

Top of the bill for the evening was the wonderful presentation by Maddy Nettleship and Dave Herbert, who spoke about the work of the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign – the movement in South Tyneside to save the hospital is gathering much speed and momentum, with a petition of 24,000 (yes – 24,000!!!!) signatures. If you missed it tonight, then a copy of the presentation is here: South Tyneside presentation 5th September 2017   Many thanks, Maddy and Dave, and good wishes to all in the South Tyneside team.

The agenda for the meeting is here: 5.9.17 KONPNE agenda and notes from the meeting are here: 5.9.17 KONPNE notes

If you care about the future of the NHS, then please read the notes (above) and get involved!! You will be made to feel very welcome.  Please contact us at konpnortheast@gmail.com

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17th August 2017 – a message from 38degrees

Last week in Shropshire, the Accountable Officer for Telford and Wrekin CCG publicly reversed the founding principles of the NHS.

“David Evans ( Telford and Wrekin Accountable Officer) summed up the debate by claiming a benefit for most people ‘while recognising of course that for some parts of the population there would be a disadvantage’. He went on to advise the Committee that ‘one of the founding principles was to try and make a decision based on the basis of the greatest good for the majority’. David Evans is completely wrong. The founding principles of the NHS are about comprehensive healthcare and universal healthcare – about all healthcare being available to all people. David Evans reversed the ethos of the NHS, and CCG members voted with him. It’s no wonder that members of the public responded with real anger” 

All across England, people in NHS decision making positions are saying “We put the patient at the heart of everything we do!” – then make decisions which actively discriminate against some of them.

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10th August 2017 – North East CCG’s provide feedback on the STP engagement exercise

CCG report on engagement activity around the vision, principles and approach of the draft STP;  23rd November 2016 – 20th January 2017

The links to the CCG websites are here – the same report and appendices is on all of the websites. The appendices provide information about the written responses and public meetings.

http://www.newcastlegatesheadccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/stp/draft-sustainability-transformation-plan-engagement-report/

http://www.northtynesideccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/your-views/stp/draft-sustainability-transformation-plan-engagement-report/

http://www.southtynesideccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/involve-me/stp/draft-sustainability-transformation-plan-engagement-report/

http://www.sunderlandccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/your-views/stp/draft-sustainability-transformation-plan-engagement-report/

http://www.northumberlandccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/stp/draft-sustainability-transformation-plan-engagement-report/

http://www.northdurhamccg.nhs.uk/involve-me/stp/draft-sustainability-transformation-plan-engagement-report/

The CCG report and appendices can also be located on our KONPNE website resources page here

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8th July 2017 – Health campaigners converge at Durham Miners Gala 2017

Durham Miners Gala 2017 – the 133rd Gala!
People. music, brass, grass, sunshine, a sense of solidarity, history and the absolute need to continue the fight…..
…..KONP Durham, KONPNE, KONP Leeds, Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign, 999 Call for the NHS and national Health Campaigns Together meet up at the 2017 Gala…..and here’s the kaleidoscope of pics!!!!….and here’s to next year!!!!

It was also great to meet up with Keith Venables for the first time. Keith is national secretary for the “Health Campaigns Together” organisation, an initiative to enable the existing health campaigns across England to liaise together, share experiences, and where possible work together on issues of common concern. HCT recently did a superb job in co-ordinating the NHS Birthday activity across the country.

Click here Keith on youtube for a brief video of Keith at the Gala and click here Brass band for  a video of one of the many brass bands in action in the city centre

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5th July 2017 – NHS nationwide!

Click on the link below for a Health Campaigns Together photodiary of NHS birthday celebrations across the country – including our own event here in the Newcastle

NHS day of action pictures

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5th July 2017 – Chronicle Live report, plus Chronicle Live video are here:

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/nhs-turns-69-north-east-13285838

NHS turns 69: North East campaigners warn the service is ‘at a precipice’

The NHS’s 69th birthday was marked with an event to ‘celebrate and defend’ the service in Newcastle.

Campaigners have warned that the NHS is standing “at a precipice” as the service celebrates its 69th birthday.

On this day in 1948, health minister Aneurin Bevan founded the National Health Service, which was set up to provide universal healthcare for all, on the basis of need, free at the point of use. Among those wishing it a happy birthday on social media today is the Royal College of Nursing, which described it as “Britain’s most cherished institution”.

Campaign group Keep Our NHS Public North East organised a day of celebrations to mark the occasion and thank NHS staff for their hard work and commitment over the past 69 years. But group co-ordinator John Whalley said: “We also remember that we stand at a precipice and will lose the NHS if the Governments current plans regarding service cuts, reorganisation and privatisation go ahead.”

Demonstrators gathered at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle on Wednesday for a birthday event. Balloons and banners helped to create a party atmosphere as passers-by wrote birthday messages in a giant card, which was then taken to the gates of Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for staff and patients to sign before being posted to health minister Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Whalley said: “Here in the North East, the local Clinical Commissioning Groups are having to work with massively reduced budgets, and this is further compounded by huge cuts to social care.”

It has been a turbulent year for local health services, with CCGs currently working on the Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP), which aims to find £900million in cuts to health and social care budgets in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and North Durham by 2021.

Campaigners are waiting to learn the fate of a 12-bed inpatient ward at Rothbury Community Hospital, which had been temporarily shut for seven months after health bosses found it was “underused”. A consultation into the ward’s future closed in April. Northumbria Healthcare NHS trust also announced last month that overnight emergency care at Hexham, North Tyneside and Wansbeck hospitals was being suspended for another three months. The move came six months after a “temporary” closure to help cope with high demand for services in the region, with staff redeployed to the Northumbria hospital in Cramlington. And a consultation has been launched this week which could see some stroke, maternity and children’s services move from South Tyneside District Hospital to Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Mr Whalley said: “Our event today will celebrate the birthday of the NHS, and we want to celebrate it for years to come as a fully funded and publicly owned and publicly provided National Health Service. So today we celebrate, but we must also defend.”

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5th July 2017 – HAPPY 69th BIRTHDAY NHS FROM ALL ON TYNESIDE!!  We must both celebrate and defend

Keep Our NHS Public North East, North East Peoples Assembly and Newcastle TUC co-hosted the Tyneside NHS@69 event at the Monument, and we were pleased to share this with many members of the public, Unison, Northern TUC, BMA, RCN, North East Pensioners Association, and Save North Tyneside NHS.

We celebrated the achievements of the NHS and thanked NHS staff for all of the hard work and commitment over the 69 years. We were helped along the way with two GINORMOUS birthday cards for all to sign (courtesy of national Health Campaigns Together), a special NHS birthday cake, balloons, speeches…and then off to the RVI gates for additional signatures and messages from Union representatives on behalf of the NHS workforce….and finally heading down to the Post Office at the top of Northumberland Street, and onward posting of the card to Mr J Hunt MP – just to remind him how much we care for the NHS in the North East.

We did the NHS proud today – celebration and VERY IMPORTANTLY stating loud and clear that we need also to DEFEND. We remember that we stand at a precipice and will lose the NHS if the Governments current plans regarding cuts and reorganisation go ahead.  It was great that so many people and organisations wanted to make it clear that we all call for   * no cuts or cash-driven closures    * fair pay for all NHS staff     * a fully funded, publicly owned and publicly provided National Health Service

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NHS!!!! And many happy returns…..

The press release for the event is here: NHS at 69 years old – Press Release

Photodiary in 20 pics >>>>>>>>>>>>

  1: Peter Roderick, co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill

  2: Tim Wall, Save North Tyneside NHS

  3: Dr Helen Groom, KONPNE

  4: Clare Williams, Unison Northern Regional Secretary

  5: Happy Birthday from the North East !! We celebrate.

  6: Jessie Jo Jacobs, Northern TUC

  7: Sean Fahey, North East Pensioners Association

  8: Tony Dowling and Dawn Warcop, North East Peoples Assembly 

  9: Martin Levy, President, Newcastle TUC, adds a message

  10: It is actually heavier than it looks – en route to the RVI gates

  11: Lin Clarkson, RCN “Scrap the Cap Campaign” manager 

  12: Sheila Wilson, Unison Regional Organiser and Jacqueline Francis, Unison Branch Administrator

  13: Dr John Moore, Chair, BMA Northern Region Jnr Doc Committee

  14: Members of Keep Our NHS Public North East – Clare Bethell, Dr Lawrence Welch, Dr Helen Groom and John Whalley

  15: An important message – very true

  16: Dr Lawrence Welch flies the flag for Durham KONP 

  17: Good job we brought a largish envelope…

  18: ….now all addressed and ready to rumble

  19: ….and its off to the Post Office

  20: …..and hoping that the letterbox is big enough

This is what today is all about – the “new health service”, our NHS, founded 69 years ago on 5th July 1948. It has served us exceptionally well – so let’s save it for the next generation.

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3rd July 2017 – We welcome Professor Allyson Pollock – Public Lecture and Q&A

A thought-provoking Public Lecture and Q&A session was delivered by Professor Allyson Pollock in Newcastle upon Tyne this evening.

Entitled “Post-election reflections on the fate of the NHS in England and health and social care services in the North East“, Professor Pollock reviewed past and current developments in health provision and provided insight into ways forward for all who support and care for the NHS.

Professor Pollock is Professor of Public Health Research and Policy, and is Director of the Institute of Health and Society at Newcastle University. She is well known as a NHS campaigner, public health researcher, and for her work on NHS cuts, marketisation, privatisation and PFI’s. She is author of NHS plc, in addition to much other ground-breaking research work.

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1st July 2017 – #NotOneDayMore

A update from North East Peoples Assembly:
Todays #NotOneDayMore demo was a magnificent effort built in three weeks after the general election. We took a full coach down from Newcastle & many more north east supporters were there by other means. It was a great day and a great show of strength by the anti-austerity movement we have created. We need continuing campaigns over schools, hospitals and housing. One theme also ran through today: justice for Grenfell, which so epitomises everything that is wrong with our society.

Contact North East Peoples Assembly at nepeoplesassembly@gmail.com

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1st July 2017 – South Tyneside all out in support

Well done to the team at Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign who made an enormous impact at the South Tyneside Summer Parade – a massive amount of support was voiced by all present.
The South Tyneside Campaign continues. Please get in touch at www.savesouthtynesidehospital.org/contact to offer assistance.

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1st July 2017 – KONPNE make national news in HCT

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25th June 2017 – STP; the figures don’t stack up

Thankyou to John Kennedy, member of KONPNE, for the following analysis of data. Much appreciated.

The Government insists that it is investing more in the NHS with Teresa May and Jeremy Hunt citing an additional £8 billion investment – a very misleading claim. Since 2010 the Government in the name of austerity has substantially limited investment in the NHS. While hospital admissions have grown at an average rate 3.1% per year since 2012/13 NHS funding has only increased by 0.8% per year and under the manifesto claim will only increase by 1.2% per year until 2022. NHS funding has simply not kept pace with the demand for medical treatment provided by hospitals.
Faced with this shortfall in funding the Government has compelled the NHS to substantially reduce the numbers of patients receiving medical treatment within hospitals under the regional Sustainability and Transformation Plans.

24th June 2017 – No doubt – we say #ToriesOUT

MANY THANKS to Tony and Dawn at North East Peoples Assembly for organising and hosting a fantastic #ToriesOUT Rally at Grey’s Monument this afternoon. Speakers from a wide range of organisations highlighted the public services which are being slashed now across the North East – health, education, housing, fire services, and much more – all budgets slashed by the Tory Government.

The people in the North East say no more – #ToriesOUT – and will shout the message to Westminster at the London demo next Saturday 1st July. Coach tickets are available at nepeoplesassembly@gmail.com

Gail Ward (Defend Tynedale NHS Services) and Tim Wall (Save North Tyneside NHS) get the message across in Newcastle – see Gail speak here and Tim speak here

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23rd June 2017 – Hexham Courant editorial highlights Duty of Care

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22nd June 2017 – News just in

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has now announced that the temporary arrangements at urgent care centres in Hexham, North Tyneside and Wansbeck general hospitals will remain in place until September.

Since December 2016, the three urgent care centres have been closed between midnight and 8am. The temporary change was established in order to maximise staff skills during the busy winter period. The closures were extended in March 2017 as NHS services were said to remain at a high level.

At today’s board meeting, healthcare leaders at the trust agreed that it would be ‘inappropriate’ to deploy staff overnight at the urgent care centres. The trust has stressed that the move is a temporary decision and says it will continue to work with NHS Northumberland and North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Groups on future arrangements. 

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22nd June 2017 – At Hexham General Hospital