News

KONPNE campaign news – photos, videos, updates, media articles – from January 2020 to NOW

(For KONPNE Campaign activity for the ten years 2010 to December 2019, click here)

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Forming part of the national Day of Action called by the campaign group “We Own It”, members of “KONP North East” and “KONP Sunderland” met in a very hot and sunny Newcastle city centre, rolled up their sleeves, and demonstrated how the government’s new NHS legislation (The Health and Care Bill 2021) is a tug of war between private companies and our NHS in England.  The usual suspects were represented – Centene, Virgin, Serco – plus the local newcomer, Livi, which is a private healthcare company offering virtual appointments in GP practices in North Tyneside….for info, Livi claims to be Europe’s largest digital healthcare provider….currently with a one-year contract in North Tyneside primary care…. This must be stopped.

Johnson was also at the Monument, attempting to appease NHS staff with a miserly 1%, and even HRH couldn’t help with the George medal; the medal was appreciated – but it doesn’t pay the bills…..

And our message was, obviously, well-received in the North East today.  Huge thanks to people in Newcastle who jumped at the opportunity to join in and clearly knew which tug of war team to join. It is crucial that we continue to join forces to bring an end to the lucrative contracts to healthcare companies which, of course, involves a cut of the cash going to the pockets of shareholders. And, it is also crucial that the professionals who work in our NHS receive a fair wage – the 1% offer is, in short, an insult.

Some street theatre, but with a very serious message. Back in Parliament, the government is pushing ahead with its Health and Care Bill. The NHS needs us more than ever: this legislation includes so many dangerous changes….like letting PRIVATE COMPANIES sit on NHS boards, where they’ll have a say on people’s care and how NHS money is spent ?!?!   Unbelievable – but true.

The NHS has just turned 73 – and if you want it to be with us for another 73 years, then this Bill must be amended. Write to your MP now, sign the petitions, download and share the leaflets: all at https://konpnortheast.com/ics/

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Our SINCERE THANKS go to ALL staff at hospitals, health centres, clinics and surgeries throughout the North East. Wherever you are based, we offer a sincere THANK YOU for your care and commitment throughout 2020 from all at Keep Our NHS Public North East. 

December 2020: Outside Hexham General Hospital | opposite Freeman Hospital | at Sunderland Royal Hospital | outside Sunderland Minster | entrance to Queen Elizabeths Hospital, Gateshead | entrance at Blyth Community Hospital / Health Centre | opposite the RVI, Newcastle upon Tyne | Adjacent to the Health Centre, Whitley Bay | opposite the entrance to James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough | near Richardson Community Hospital, Barnard Castle | on Rake Lane, outside North Tyneside General Hospital | South Tyneside General Hospital | main entrance, University Hospital of North Durham | outside Wansbeck General Hospital, Ashington 

Please click the following links to see the thank you video on youtube, on facebook and on twitter  …..and please share and retweet!!  It’s the very least we can all do.

(Video music: www.bensound.com  track: Inspire)

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14th December 2020 – Christmas message for Dehenna Davison MP (Bishop Auckland) ….and all North East MPs

Constituents are expecting ALL 22 North East MPs, from Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle up to Berwick-upon-Tweed, to vote in favour of the Amendments to the Trade Bill which will protect our NHS. MPs may rest assured that constituents are following the situation very closely….

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8th December 2020 – House of Lords backs the NHS

Some good news this morning – the Lords have voted in favour of an Amendment that would block any trade deal that undermines the NHS’s ability to provide free services or control drug prices. The amendment states there could be no trade deal which “in any way undermines or restricts” the ability of authorities to “provide a comprehensive publicly funded health service free at the point of delivery,” or “regulate and control the pricing and reimbursement systems for the purchase of medicines or medical devices”.

Baroness Thornton stated: “These are national assets which must not be put in jeopardy or squandered in whatever the future holds for UK trade with the world. While the Government have repeatedly pledged that the NHS is not on the table in trade negotiations, we know that there have been detailed conversations between UK and US negotiators, revealing that health services have been discussed.  The US is probing the UK’s health insurance system and has made clear its desire for the UK to change its drug pricing mechanism.”

It is now CRUCIAL that all MPs now vote in favour of these Amendments when the vote returns to the Commons in early 2021. When this Bill was discussed in the Commons in July 2020, SIX North East MPs voted AGAINST amendments which would have provided some degree of protection to the NHS – this is not acceptable and, this time round, all MPs must do the right thing.

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED WITH THE CAMPAIGN – click here

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7th December 2020 – with “We Own It” in Blyth

Great to be part of the “We Own It” initiative in Blyth this morning – delivering a Christmas card to the local MP…

DEAR IAN LEVY MP – ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS FOR YOU TO PROTECT OUR NHS FROM TRADE DEALS BY VOTING FOR THE SCRUTINY AND NHS PROTECTION AMENDMENTS IN THE TRADE BILL

Important to note that, when the Trade Bill was voted on in the Commons in July this year, Mr Levy was one of six North East MP who, indeed, voted AGAINST Amendments which would have provided some degree of protection to our NHS. The vote will be returning to the Commons again early in the New Year 2021 and we trust that, on this occasion, Mr Levy will be doing the right thing  for the people of Blyth and for the future of the NHS. MPs need to ensure that this Bill does not open up the NHS to further sell-offs and take-overs by multinationals…

…and as for this “Boris Johnson” this morning – he’s giving a clue to his preferred direction of travel? Blyth constituents are watching the situation very closely.

More info is here

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3rd December 2020 – KONPNE speaks

Much discussion and plans made, as we approach the Christmas period: a focus on the Trade Bill continues, with our lobby now shifting from the Lords to the Commons (see here), much good work is ongoing regarding challenging the unjust NHS charges to migrants (here) and, in the wake of the moves to privatisation in Primary Care in North Tyneside (Livi), we are still asking questions at Full Council meetings and alerting local Councillors to appalling privatisation developments (here), plus our installation of end of year THANKYOU BANNERS outside hospitals throughout the North East region ….and some dates for the 2021 diary: we are aiming to have KONPNE meetings on the first Thursday of every month at 7pm, currently via Zoom….Book it in now!!

Our next meeting will take place on 7th January 2021 (here). All are welcome.

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KONPNE member John Whalley put the following question to the full meeting of North Tyneside Council, at the full Council meeting on 26th November 2020. The question focused on North Tyneside CCG commissioning the private firm “Livi” to provide virtual GP appointments on a one year pilot basis.

Question to NT Council – Nov 2020 revised

Councillor Margaret Hall responded on behalf of the Council, and her response is recorded here, at part 9: https://democracy.northtyneside.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=2144

The video of the meeting is here (go to 38:40 mins): https://youtu.be/f5mh4pcZ9VE

In response to the question, Councillor Hall made the North Tyneside Council position very clear in stating that “North Tyneside Council is 100% opposed to any privatisation of the NHS and as long as Labour remain in control of North Tyneside Council it shall remain opposed to any privatisation of our precious NHS”.

Regarding Livi, Councillor Hall went on to say that “The evaluation of the pilot will be under the full scrutiny of all committee members. We agree that North Tyneside CCG should not be putting healthcare into the hands of profit-making companies. They also know that new and changed services in our local NHS always get the close attention of North Tyneside Council. This has been demonstrated by the Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing Sub Committee calling in the CCG’s Livi pilot for scrutiny. We’ve seen this year exploitation of the NHS by private businesses for huge profits by friends of government. A great example of how not to trust commercial arrangements”.

KONPNE: Councillor Hall has made the position of North Tyneside Council very clear regarding Livi. The Livi contract will be up for evaluation in the early part of 2021, representatives of North Tyneside Council are on the evaluation group, and we expect these people to stand up and be counted regarding this important matter

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20th November 2020 – NHS is already part-privatised

In todays Metro – more info here

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16th November 2020 – email to Healthwatch North Tyneside

As we are all too well aware, lucrative contracts are increasingly being awarded to private businesses and corporations for healthcare, with the subsequent erosion and rundown of the NHS. North Tyneside CCG is no stranger to this process, having recently handed over an undisclosed sum to “Livi”, an international digital healthcare company, to provide virtual GP appointments to patients in North Tyneside.

Livi? Livid, more like. KONPNE has emailed North Tyneside CCG, North Tyneside Council, and others….and Healthwatch North Tyneside is the latest organisation to be contacted by us to ascertain their views and to mobilise support – see our email here….

We need your support…. click here for information, to see the rest of our communications and to join in with the Campaign

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4th November 2020 – KONPNE questions Northumberland County Council

Northumberland resident Richard Spedding, on behalf of KONPNE, questioned Northumberland County Councillors about NHS privatisation at the full Council meeting today. Two questions were read out at the Council meeting, and Cllr Veronica Jones (Conservative, Councillor for Ponteland West, Cabinet member for Adult Wellbeing, and Health and Wellbeing Board member) provided responses. Click here for details:

Question, and response from Cllr Jones – Northumberland County Council 4.11.20

Needless to say, KONPNE will be communicating with Cllr Jones (cc rest of the Northumberland Council) regarding her inadequate response. There appear to exist inconsistencies between Cllr Jones overview of NHS funding and the Channel Four fact check (click here regarding the Tory claims of investing £33.9 billion) and we also need to remind Cllr Jones about the REAL direction of travel re Integrated Care Systems (very sadly, ICSs WILL MOST CERTAINLY shift the balance between public and private services – not this year, but fast forward to the time of large-scale takeovers by multinational corporations, made possible through the creation of this very same ICS system). We suggest that Cllr Jones reads our KONPNE briefing paper We Need To Be Worried about the NHS Long Term Plan, Integrated Care Systems and Primary Care Networks

Members of KONPNE are active in putting similar questions to the six other Councils in the North East – click here for details 

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12th November 2020 – In North West Durham

Great to take part in discussions this evening about campaigning for a publicly provided NHS. NW Durham CLP arranged this event, and friends from the Socialist Health Association also spoke. A very lively evening, many questions and much interest.

Please contact us at konpnortheast@gmail.com if you would like a speaker (plus optional slide presentation) – all can be done via Zoom – and we will do our very best to assist. See here for details.

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3rd November 2020 – Tomorrow: our question to Northumberland County Council

Prompted by the recent growth in “outsourcing” (aka NHS privatisation) by North Tyneside CCG, members of KONPNE are putting questions to local North East Councils about NHS privatisation in their area. Next up is Northumberland County Council, with a question put to the full Council by KONPNE member Richard Spedding. This will be read out and responded to by a Council officer. Read the question here. The meeting will take place online on Wednesday 4th November – public questions are scheduled for 2.45pm, immediately before the full Council meeting. You can follow the question live at this link.

A question was also submitted to Newcastle City Council for consideration at the Newcastle full Council meeting on the same day, but our question was declined, as they felt it to be similar to a question asked by us at the Newcastle full Council meeting in March this year – we disagree, and will be following up on this with a view to putting our question to Newcastle in November or the New Year.

See here  (towards the bottom of the page) for the questions already presented to Gateshead and Sunderland Councils at their full Council meetings in September, plus their responses, and see also the emails to North Tyneside, South Tyneside and County Durham Councils.

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30th October 2020 – The Vampires are Out

KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC NORTH EAST show a true horror story at Grey’s Monument, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Halloween 2020. The Vampires are out – sucking the lifeblood from our NHS……

Click here

to see the KONPNE Halloween video – but be warned….this is a REAL horror story

24th October 2020 – Nightmare at the Monument

Click on photos to enlarge

SUCKING THE LIFEBLOOD FROM OUR NHS – Private multinational companies such as Serco, Sital and Deloitte are gaining increasing numbers of contracts to try to carry out health-related work. It is clear that the sudden onset of Covid 19 has provided the cover for many such contracts to be handed over by the Government, often without scrutiny or competition. We should be expanding our NHS to undertake additional health related work and not continually running to the private sector who have shown time and time again that they do not have the expertise.

WANT TO HEAR A DOUBLE HORROR STORY? – At the same time, Johnson and Trump are keen to work out a trade deal, discussions are well in progress and, in the Trade Bill which is currently going through Parliament, the NHS is NOT excluded. This paves the way for large-scale take overs by by US private companies, reduced access to medication, the harvesting of our UK patient data by US firms and the lowering of standards in medication, technology, and the numbers / skills / pay and conditions of staff.

NHS R.I.P? TIME IS RUNNING SHORT – Click here for information about what YOU can do now.

This morning, as part of the National Day of Action against the US Trade Deal, KONPNE dressed in Halloween costume on Saturday to get the point across – but this really is now a matter of huge concern, and your assistance is needed.

23rd October 2020 – Remote Rebels 3

Great Remote Rebels 3 gig this weekend from Peoples Assembly North East. Many thanks David McAllister, Alix Alixandra and Bethany Elan for fantastic singing, Theresa Easton for the campaign update and Tony Dowling for hosting.

Many thanks also for inviting KONPNE to speak – KONPNE Steering Group member John Whalley describes the Tory negligence regarding the NHS and Covid 19 at 1:23…  click here to watch

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22nd October 2020 – KONPNE Press release

17th October 2020 – No to Serco Newcastle

KONPNE joined with Peoples Assembly North East outside SERCO offices in Newcastle to demand: “Scrap Serco – Hands Off Our NHS”

btw….Serco’s CEO is the brother of a former Tory MP.  His partner is a Tory Party donor. And Serco’s former spin doctor is the Tory Minister for Health…. 

Parliament recently voted on Test and Trace going to local public health teams, not Serco. The Tories voted it down.

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15th October 2020 – KONPNE Zooms

Great to meet up with everyone tonight for the October KONPNE meeting. Feedback on the range of actions re the “LIVI” privatisation in North Tyneside and also the Trade Bill – and plans made for further (socially-distanced and safe) actions over the next month. Feedback also from our friends in the neighbouring Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign. Notes from this meeting are here

There is much happening in the North East – click here for details. Details regarding the November KONPNE meeting will also be posted in the same place.

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13th October 2020 – “Not about profit….”

Great range of speakers in tonights webinar, including Jude Letham (Co-ordinator, KONPNE), Martin Gannon (Leader, Gateshead Council), Keir Howe (GMB Northern Region NHS lead), Stacey Richardson (NHS Staff Nurse) and Dr George Rae (North Tyneside GP and BMA Chair).

All speakers confirmed the need to keep our NHS public and to stop the outsourcing – it is clear that Covid-19 has thrown a light on the ongoing underfunding and privatisation by stealth of our NHS.

“The NHS is about service and caring, and is NOT about profit. We never ever want to lose that value”    Dr George Rae, North Tyneside GP and BMA Chair

The link to the event is here. Many thanks to Tony and Peoples Assembly North East for organising tonights very lively event.

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7th October 2020 – GP speaks out against privatisation in North Tyneside

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1st October 2020 – Morpeth

Great to meet up with members of Morpeth and Pegswood Branch Labour Party, and to have the opportunity to share the KONPNE powerpoint regarding NHS privatisation. Many thanks for inviting us and for a very interesting discussion. Participants spoke of their own experiences – one person spoke of a sense of shock at the extent of privatisation within our health services, and another person described his experience as a Type 1 diabetic where he now needs to pay £250 per month for an insulin pump as it did not meet the NHS funding criteria, despite the pump being recommended by medical staff…

Members of KONPNE are willing to present the powerpoint and lead a discussion via zoom with all North East groups – political, social, religious, leisure…all welcome. Let us know at konpnortheast@gmail.com and we will do our best to assist.

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25th September 2020 – Hiding behind a logo…..

Letter in todays Metro – We need to fix test and trace. Local public health teams and our NHS must be put back in charge of testing and contact tracing…and a clear message from KONP North East and @keepnhspublic and @We_OwnIt: You’re hiding behind a logo @MattHancock

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24th September 2020 – North Tyneside privatisation reported by national media

Sharon Barbour, BBC, reports on the privatisation currently taking place within North Tyneside GP surgeries, as commissioned by North Tyneside CCG: see here

and the issue is also reported in the Health Campaigns Together news bulletin here (page 4) 

….and we keep coming back to the fundamental question – why is the funding provided to this private company not being invested in local, existing primary care services? It is clearly a cost-cutting exercise, increasing macro privatisation and undermining localised provision….

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23rd September 2020 – Sunderland respond

Question: What is Sunderland Council doing to prevent the steady and insidious NHS privatisation process and how will you ensure that the local “Integrated Care System” involves changes based on health and social need, rather than being driven by financial considerations that lead to further outsourcing to the private sector?

Cllr Geoff Walker responded to this question about NHS privatisation put to the the Council by KONP Sunderland this evening. He confirmed that Sunderland City Council does not support the systematic privatisation of the NHS, is committed to an internal commissioning of services, and referred to a number of initiatives that the Council is involved in. He stated “I think our involvement in integrated health  and social care clearly  demonstrates our commitment to an agenda of collaboration and co-operation aimed at avoiding wealth extraction by the private sector”.

A transcription of Cllr Walkers response is here:  Answer to KONP question from Sunderland City Council 23 09 2020 and we have no doubt that KONP Sunderland will be following up Cllr Walkers response in some detail.

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20th September 2020 – Sunderland City Council

Prompted by “Livi” and the recent growth in “outsourcing” (aka NHS privatisation) in North Tyneside – see posts below –  members of KONPNE are putting questions to local North East Councils about privatisation in their area.

Sunderland KONP’s Laura Murrell and Dr Pam Wortley have presented the following question and information sheet, and a response is expected from Sunderland Council at the full Council meeting on Wednesday 23rd September 2020 at 4pm.

Live streamed here: https://youtu.be/X9R-j-J3o4U

Question to Sunderland City Council from KONP Sunderland and District

Question to Sunderland Council additional information 23 09 2020

Plus more to follow – Newcastle City Council (7th October), Northumberland County Council (4th November) and information to key Councillors in North Tyneside, South Tyneside and County Durham – links to follow…

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17th September 2020 – KONPNE at Gateshead Council

Prompted by growing NHS privatisation across the region, members of KONPNE are currently in the process of putting questions to Councillors at full council meetings across the North East. First up was Gateshead Council this afternoon when Tony Dowling, KONPNE member and Gateshead resident, addressed the Council regarding the escalating privatisation within the NHS and then asked the following question:

What is the council doing to prevent the steady and insidious NHS privatisation process as mentioned, and what will Gateshead Council do to ensure that the local “Integrated Care System” involves changes based on health and social need, rather than being driven by financial considerations that lead to further outsourcing to the private sector. 

Tony also asked:

“The local “Integrated Care System” can be made to look good on paper – no one would argue with phrases such as “greater collaboration” and “patient-centred care” – but some risks only become apparent when the “Integrated Care System” is seen within the context of the planned, strategic dismantling of the healthcare system. Does Gateshead Council commission risk assessments regarding service changes in health provision – and do these risk assessments relate to privatisation? Members of KONPNE are keen that our Council representatives see the over-all picture and ask difficult questions, so that the NHS remains for all constituents and for future generations”.  

A full response was provided by Councillor Lynne Caffrey, Chair of Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Board, which KONPNE looks forward to considering further in detail. As part of her verbal response, Cllr Caffrey commented that Gateshead Council is doing lots to guard against privatisation and, verbally and in writing, she stated that “Gateshead Council is fully committed to the NHS as a public service”. Regarding the alarming news that North Tyneside CCG have commissioned a private company, Livi, to provide virtual appointments across primary care in North Tyneside, Cllr Caffrey confirmed that “the local strategy is to introduce the option for Gateshead patients to consult with GPs via video if they choose to, but that video consultation will be with a local practice and a local practitioner as part of the primary care service that is already commissioned. We have no plans to commission any outside services”.

Our statement and questions are here: Question to Gateshead Council Sept 2020

Cllr Caffreys response is here: Question Response By Councillor Caffrey, Gateshead

KONPNE will now consider Cllr Caffreys response in detail, and we intend to reply with copies to Gateshead Councillors.

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15th September 2020 – KONPNE questions full Council meeting

Prompted by the recent growth in “outsourcing” (aka NHS privatisation), members of KONPNE are putting questions to local North East Councils about privatisation in their area.

Follow our question and Council responses live, as Tony Dowling, KONPNE member and Gateshead resident, puts a question to the full council meeting of Gateshead Council on Thursday 17th September at 2.30pm.

Follow live on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYDGr1rlFmM&ab_channel=GatesheadMBC

Plus more to follow – Dr Pam Wortley and the team at Keep Our NHS Public Sunderland have prepared a question for the full Sunderland City Council meeting on Wednesday 23rd September – links to follow…

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14th September 2020 – NHS privatisation in North Tyneside primary care – “Livi”

KONPNE has now written to both North Tyneside MPs, checked out the times for formal questions to be put to the seven NE Councils (the first question will be put to Gateshead Council at the full council meeting on Thursday this week – more info to follow), has written to the Chronicle, Journal and local papers, and is in the process of getting more information from North Tyneside CCG via a “Freedom of Information” request….what can you do -> please click here for information about ways of getting involved.

The letter to local papers:

I am writing on behalf of the local campaign group, ‘Keep Our NHS Public – North East’.

I am very concerned about the creeping privatisation of the NHS which is occurring at this present time. Recently, North Tyneside residents received letters inviting them to sign up to an app from a private Swedish company, Livi, working in partnership with North Tyneside CCG. This would enable GP patients to get video appointments provided they had a Smart phone or laptop with the correct software. All of this happened without consultation with the North Tyneside councillors, our local representatives. Unless stopped, this pilot development in North Tyneside may well spread to other parts of the North East. Further information concerning this situation can be accessed from our website https://konpnortheast.com/privatisation/primary-care/. 

In taking out a contract with this private company the taxes from our hard earned money are being misused, without our knowledge, to pay private companies to make a profit from our misfortune and ill-health. If this service became the norm then those people without access to technology or who are unable to use it would potentially be denied access to some GP services.

The service from Livi is currently ‘free’ and optional for N. Tyneside residents, but for how long? There is a cost though, as our taxes are benefitting this company. One hundred percent of the monies allocated to the NHS should go directly to the NHS to provide much needed healthcare and not to profit companies overseas. During the COVID pandemic we have been witnessing the NHS struggle to provide a full healthcare service. Many people have seen their operations and treatments postponed. Meanwhile the Government is funding private companies rather than invest in our British NHS, pay our NHS workers a decent wage and provide them with adequate PPE for safe working.

Telephone and video appointments can be a helpful way of having a first contact with your GP for some but not all clinical situations during our current COVID pandemic and many of our NHS GPs have been able to provide this service without payment to private companies. When we can return to ‘normal’ most people will want to be able to have that valuable contact with their own GP at the surgery where they feel comfortable and can have a full consultation.
Now is the time to stand up and stop this privatisation which we neither need nor want.

Yours faithfully
(KONPNE member)
Keep Our NHS Public North East

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3rd September 2020 – Livid…

A very active KONPNE meeting this evening, with much discussion and campaign planning centring around * Trade Bill (see here)  *the private company “Livi” contracted to provide GP consultations in North Tyneside (much happening – social media and website posts to be added shortly) *access to A+E  *powerpoint presentation on privatisation  *forthcoming events

The notes from the meeting are here: 3.9.20 – KONPNE notes of meeting

Your help is needed – please contact konpnortheast@gmail.com to get involved in the campaign

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28th August 2020 – North Tyneside on the slippery privatisation slope

The private firm Livi has been awarded a contract to carry out virtual consultations in Primary Care in North Tyneside. Whilst this is claimed to be a pilot scheme, and it is to be seen as an addition to the usual GP clinical work, it is undoubtedly part of a very slippery privatisation slope.

KONPNE strongly objects to this insidious privatisation of the NHS. Apart from the central fact that North Tyneside CCG should not be wasting taxpayers money by contracting out to private, profit making companies with shareholders, a number of key issues need to be answered as a matter of urgency – click here to find out more, plus ways of helping.

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26th August 2020 – NE Councillors & Public Health express concern about restructure

Health and Wellbeing Board Chairs from across the region have come together to express concern at the Government’s decision to restructure Public Health England and to hand over key responsibilities to a new body with no clear idea of what it will do or how it will be governed.

“The National Institute for Health Protection appears to be an organisation set outside of the NHS but with a crucial role to play in the health of our communities,” said Cllr Lynne Caffrey, Chair of the Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB), who coordinated a letter to both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock.

The letter from 10 of the region’s 12 HWB Chairs from across political parties, expressed their surprise at the changes being proposed in the middle of a pandemic. It also asks for the expertise of local councils in dealing with many aspects of public health, including infectious disease outbreaks, to be recognised and for any new structures or systems to be set up to be co-designed with local authorities. Cllr Caffrey, said: “We believe we need to focus on maintaining the local capability, capacity and skills, to keep the effective working relationships already established and for us to have a system in place that is best able to protect the communities we represent.”

This view is shared by Directors of Public Health (DsPH) across the region and, as leaders of local systems they have experienced at first-hand the vital role that regional Public Health England (PHE) teams play in protecting the health and wellbeing of local communities and that they do not wish to lose this regional expertise. Amanda Healy, Durham’s Director of Public Health and chair of the North East Association of Directors of Public Health, said: “Our regional PHE colleagues have played a critical role in our local response to Covid-19. As such, any proposal to dismantle these arrangements now, particularly ahead of winter, present a real risk to protecting the health and wellbeing of our community. It is also vital that people understand the breadth of remit that PHE has across healthcare public health, health improvement and health inequalities. We would strongly recommend that any restructuring protects these functions which have a central role across Local Government and the NHS. We have all be involved with many re-organisations over the years and while, at times, there have been benefits, we also understand the immense upheaval and disruption they create. Given the pressure we are all currently under we, as Directors of Public Health across the North East, are extremely concerned that this disruption may adversely affect our ability to protect our communities from Covid and indeed other infectious diseases as we come towards the winter months.”

Read the Chronicle article here

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18th August 2020 – Scrap the contracts for Serco and Sitel

Privatised track and trace has been a 2020 disaster that is costing lives. It’s now time to put local public health teams in charge of the whole system – they have the tools and the local knowledge they need to do this vital work before any second wave this winter. Now they need the money.

Speaking outside Newcastle Civic Centre on the “We Own It” national day of action on Track and Trace Contracts, Dr Helen Groom, GP and member of KONP North East, stated: 

“Don’t be fooled – the Tories are now beginning to overtly privatise our NHS. Public Health England is now being merged with the failed Serco / Sitel. £528 million of your money is being given to this company which couldn’t even run track and trace properly in the first place” 

David McAllister, North East Peoples Assembly, stated:

“We stand against all privatisation and cuts to public services – the NHS is a major part of that.We are here supporting health workers who are standing in the way of private companies making a killing out of our public services”

….and now watch the youtube video from Newcastle upon Tyne today:  https://youtu.be/WCTDa-FC1fw

It is clear that Hancock needs to scrap Serco and Sitels failed contracts now instead of renewing them. The government must give the £528 million allocated for these contract extension to local authorities and Public Health England teams instead.

Couldn’t make the Newcastle event today? Then it’s crucial that you sign the “Save Lives, Scrap Serco” petition here….and please pass it on to all of your contacts….. https://weownit.org.uk/save-lives-scrap-serco-now

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9th August 2020 – Sedgefield MP fails to support Amendment that would protect the NHS

9th August 2020 – Blyth MP fails to support Amendment that would protect the NHS

8th August 2020 – Pay justice for health care workers

Crucial for KONPNE to be at the socially-distanced march and rally in Newcastle today, in support of pay justice for health service workers. Poor rates of pay have contributed to the recruitment and retention crisis in the NHS, and workers shouldn’t have to wait until April 2021 for a pay review. Clapping on a Thursday night does not put food on the table. A great turnout at the march, speeches from health care workers, and also our first post-lockdown opportunity for a brief catch up with friends at Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign and Sunderland KONP.

A Chronicle report, pictures and video is here

5th August 2020 – KONPNE at Cullercoats Branch Labour Party

Many thanks to Cullercoats Branch Labour Party for the invitation to meet up with members tonight via Zoom – we were asked to present our new powerpoint on NHS privatisation in the North East, and this was followed by questions and discussion. It is great to have your support, and the support of other political parties in the North East.

KONPNE does not align itself to any one political party – we have members from most political parties (or none), and it remains very important for us to welcome all people who support a publicly funded and publicly provided NHS. Very recently, we have developed powerpoint images and text to accompany our presentations – we have found that this makes the presentation more engaging and interesting. If your group (be that political, social, educational, or religious….most gatherings, in fact!) would like a speaker / presentation to describe NHS privatisation in the North East, then please get in touch at konpnortheast@gmail.com , and we will do our best to assist.

4th August 2020 – KONPNE on Zoom

Our agenda included an update from the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign, information about the forthcoming NHS Workers Pay Protest on Saturday (information here), an overview of the Campaign work so far regarding NHS charges to migrants (see here) and details about the recently updated KONPNE presentations on NHS privatisation in the North East. Most of the agenda and discussion centred around the Trade Bill and possible campaign initiatives (here), including lobbying the Lords and maintaining a focus on contacting local MPs….following our meeting tonight, we have updated our campaign strategy regarding this – please watch out for the details.

3rd August 2020 – NHS privatisation in the North East

KONPNE has devised a 30 minute Powerpoint presentation summarising the privatisation of the NHS in the North East, which can be delivered via Zoom. The presentation has been trialled successfully with several groups and has been followed by questions and answers. If you know of any groups that would like to book this presentation for a meeting: political, social, religious or any other interested group, please contact us at konpnortheast@gmail.com. Thank you

Please click here for further details

31st July 2020 – KONPNE and Unite Community Branch

Great to be invited to a Zoom meet up with members of the NE Unite Community Branch, for an overview of the Campaign and discussion. Together we are stronger, and it is good to have your support.

This meeting saw the third trip out for our newly updated powerpoint presentation on NHS Privatisation in the North East. This presentation is available to other groups and organisations, and KONPNE members are invited to present it, at the moment via Zoom. If you are not an attender at our meetings, please get in touch with us at konpnortheast@gmail.com, and we will do our very best to arrange a speaker.

20th July 2020 – Trade Bill now at the Lords

Further to the appalling voting at the Commons today, we are now reviewing the Campaign, with a focus on the Lords. Check out the page here for specific details about the passage of the Bill so far through Parliament, and actions to take. We are considering all options re the Lords, and will update supporters when we clarify and agree our way forward. Thank you. 

8th July 2020 – 2 min Trade Bill video now published by KONPNE

URGENT: Please watch – then share or tweet this video to all of your contacts….The Trade Bill will be debated in Parliament in July 2020, and it is CRUCIAL that we contact our MPs NOW

youtube: https://youtu.be/lgKa7IShjeI

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NHSPublicNorthEast

twitter: https://twitter.com/KONPNorthEast 

Accompanying track Rumble is from www.bensound.com

6th July 2020 – North East Bylines

Excellent article from Giuseppe Bignardi in North East Bylines re Saturday action in Newcastle.
Thanks, Giuseppe.

Please click here:     https://northeastbylines.co.uk/troubled-birthday-4-the-nhs/

5th July 2020 – Across the North East….

5th July 2020 – 72yrs young

Today we CELEBRATE but we also PROTECT.

We need to KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC – or we will lose it. 

Dr. Helen Groom (GP) said;-   “The things that have worked during the COVID 19 pandemic have been the ones organised by the NHS – our hospitals have’t closed, and we have, so far, had enough ITU beds. The things that haven’t, PPE procurement, testing, contact tracing and most tragically our care homes, are all contracted out to private companies. We call
on the government to SAVE the NHS from current trade bill and privatisation discussions, FUND the NHS to 11% of GDP, bringing us to average and not below average as we are currently, and to STOP migrant charging. This weekend we ask every member of the public not only to clap or take the knee but to write/email/tweet their
MP, Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson with those 3 messages”

Jude Letham co-ordinator of Keep Our NHS Public North East said;-  “We have a state-of-the-art pathology lab in Gateshead but tests from IKEA 5 miles away were sent to Milton Keynes and often didn’t return. Big multinational private companies such as SODEXA, Capita, PWC and Deloitte and have been given £1.7 billion pounds worth of contracts in the last 3 months 1 . Serco got £49 million for call centres, PESTFIX £109 million for supply and delivery of PPE. Keep our NHS Public say give this PUBLIC tax payer’s money to the NHS. We need to act now to remove the NHS from the current trade talks and prevent the US companies from taking more of those contracts and implementing US style health care.”

Tony Dowling People’s Assembly said;-   “Mental health and care services have been devastated by cuts in funding and contracting out to private companies where share holders count, not patients. It’s essential that the NHS is saved from the current trade talks, that privatisation stops, and that we stop migrant charging which prevents ill people from seeking treatment. We’re asking all members of the public to do their bit and to write, email, tweet their MP, especially Conservative ones, to say SAVE, FUND, STOP. A tsunami of public opinion reaching all of our politicians is what the NHS and care services need this weekend.”

4th July 2020 –  Full report and video from Chronicle Live

Please click here 

4th July 2020 – Celebrations on the Toon

HAPPY 72nd BIRTHDAY NHS!! AND MANY MANY HAPPY RETURNS!!!
Today we CELEBRATE – but we also need to PROTECT against cuts, outsourcing, the Trade Bill, and the hostile environment.
72 years ago, the NHS was established in a war-ravaged Britain – now, 72 years later, we need to rebuild and restore the founding vision of the NHS.
But, for today, it’s birthday celebrations on the Toon – KONPNE and Peoples Assembly NE have (socially distanced, and numbers strictly limited!) celebrations at the Millenium Bridge, The Monument and outside the RVI.
And massive thanks to Wendy, Alizon and Theresa for huge assistance with artwork!!! 😃😃😃

Click on any image to enlarge

Great coverage in Chronicle Live – click here

4th July 2020 –  NHS-on-Tyne:  today we CELEBRATE….but we also need to PROTECT

Click here for the two minute video from the Millenium Bridge on Tyneside…..

30th June 2020 – KONPNE Zooms

Wide ranging discussions, detailed campaign planning and a presentation about privatisation in the North East = another busy KONPNE meeting….

On the agenda this month – update from Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign, report back on the local work completed so far regarding removing NHS charges to migrants, planning regarding the action in Newcastle city centre on Saturday 4th July and the online rally on Sunday 5th July (both to celebrate the NHS 72nd birthday, and to highlight the ongoing privatisation of the NHS), update on the NHS Trade Bill and the campaign to date, and finally a presentation of our draft powerpoint about NHS privatisation, soon to be available to all local health campaigners in contact with political, social, religious, educational and family groups across the NE.

The notes of our meeting will be available shortly, and details of our next meeting are here. All welcome!!

26th June 2020 – NO to current Trade Bill

KONP SUNDERLAND AND DISTRICT shout a resounding NO to the current Trade Bill passing through Parliament. It is CRUCIAL that our North East MPs vote for Amendments in order to protect our NHS.
For info / action plan / NE photo gallery see www.konpnortheast.com/events

Sunderland KONP: https://www.facebook.com/KONPSD

24th June 2020 – more replies from NE MPs re Trade Bill

Photos: June 2020 – RVI, Newcastle | City Hall, Newcastle | Quayside and Tyne Bridge, Newcastle

21st June 2020 – KONPNE contacts Tory members on Trade Bill Committee

Trade Bill 2020 now at the Committee Stage, and KONPNE Co-ordinator Jude Letham contacts all nine Tory Committee members – this is a team effort, please click here to find out what you can do now

Dear 

Re. Amendment to the Trade Bill to protect the NHS

The Conservative manifesto 2019 made the following pledges:

“When we are negotiating trade deals, the NHS will not be on the table. The price the NHS pays for drugs will not be on the table. The services the NHS provides will not be on the table.”

However the Trade Bill, as it stands, does not give the NHS this protection.  We urge you to support the amendment put forward by Stewart Hosie, to protect the NHS for us all.

Regards Jude Letham (Co-ordinator) Keep Our NHS Public North East

20th June 2020 – Message received loud and clear in North Tyneside and Northumberland

Photos: June 2020 – Hexham Abbey | North Shields | Promenade, Whitley Bay | Market Place, Bishop Auckland

17th June 2020 – We’re observing voting patterns very closely

**** URGENT ****
Our MPs must vote for the relevant AMENDMENTS to the current Trade Bill – or we will lose our NHS. The NHS is DEFINITELY “on the table” in Trade talks.
**** URGENT **** information about the campaign is here

Photos: June 2020 – Beach Huts, Blyth | Church Point, Newbiggin | Clock Tower, Morpeth | Spirit of the Staithes, Blyth

16th June 2020: North East Birthday event organised

15th June 2020 – Urgent

A member of KONPNE devised the following graphic. Many thanks – it spells things out loud and clear….now on our facebook and twitter – please share and tweet

www.konpnortheast.com/events

https://weownit.org.uk/act-now/protect-nhs-trade-deals

https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/protect-our-NHS-in-law-now

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300019

15th June 2020 – KONPNE addresses North Tyneside Green Party

Many thanks to North Tyneside Green Party for the invitation to meet up with members tonight via Zoom – we presented a powerpoint on NHS privatisation in the North East, followed by questions and discussion. It is great to have your support, and the support of other political parties in the North East.

KONPNE does not align itself to any one political party – we have members from most political parties (or none), and it remains very important for us to welcome all people who support a publicly funded and publicly provided NHS. Very recently, we have developed powerpoint images and text to accompany our presentations – we have found that this makes the presentation more engaging and interesting. If your group (be that political, social, educational, or religious….most gatherings, in fact!) would like a speaker / presentation to describe NHS privatisation in the North East, then please get in touch at konpnortheast@gmail.com , and we will do our best to assist.

14th June 2020 – UK / US Trade negotiations continue

8th June 2020 – KONPNE Zooms large

Valuable discussions and time spent planning forthcoming Campaigns – including UK / USA Trade Bill, local and national action at the anniversary of the founding of the NHS (4th and 5th July 2020) and work on challenging the health charges imposed on migrants to the UK….also great to catch up with all supporters!!

The notes from the meeting will be posted here in the next few days and, as always, details of our next meeting and future actions will be circulated on our emails, plus website and social media.

Keep well and keep in touch

5th June 2020 – UK / USA Trade Bill: 5 North East MPs respond

It is now two weeks since we wrote to all 22 MPs in the North East regarding the Trade Bill which is currently going through Parliament (- see 18th May post below). Five MPs have responded, and their emails are copied below…we await feedback from the remaining 17 MPs. We realise that it is a busy time all round for MPs, but this matter is of the utmost importance and it is URGENT – next being presented to the House at the end of June, and it is crucial that our representatives support the amendment… for details of our Campaign, please see here

From Emma Lewell-Buck MP (South Shields):

Hi Jude

Hope you are all well, you might have seen I was due to speak in the Bill but then the House cut the debate short.  I posted my speech on my Facebook and Twitter

Best wishes to you all

Emma

Emma Lewell-Buck MP

==========

From Ian Mearns MP (Gateshead):

Dear Jude,

Thanks for your email to which Ian has asked me to reply.

While the Covid-19 has highlighted our vital our NHS is, particular to our more vulnerable communities; it has also exposed the effects of years of under investment and privatisation. We have seen reports over the last couple of months of depleted stockpiles of PPE, some of which many years out of date; staff shortages across the service and a lack of adequate facilities. It is admirable the way the staff in the NHS have met the challenge of responding to Covid-19, and is of no surprise. But it is important that it is noted that many other routine and essential appointments have been cancelled in order to retain the capacity required.

For a number of years Ian and his colleagues have shared deep concern of the way the conservatives view all aspects of trade, but in particular the NHS. It can not be right that private organisations are receiving vast sums of public money for delivering services which could and should be provided directly, and with little accountability. The discussions around the TTIP proposals some years ago around disputes panels/courts was frightening. 

Ian absolutely agrees that it is not enough for this government to make any pledges, given their track record of making misleading and often incorrect statements across a range of matters. Ian was delighted to support the Labour manifesto pledge at the last election stop and reverse NHS privatisation and continues to support your campaign locally and in parliament.

I trust this clarifies Ian’s position, however if there is anything further Ian can assist with please do get in touch.

Best wishes,

Kris  –  Office of Ian Mearns MP

==========

From Mary Glindon MP (North Tyneside):

Dear John

Mary asked me to thank you for your email. 

As Mary is the Opposition Whip for the Shadow International Trade Team, and as the 2^nd Reading of the Bill is returning to the House next Wednesday, she cannot comment.  She will, however, raise your concerns with the team.

Kind Regards

Christine Aird

PA to Mary Glindon MP

==========

From Bridget Phillipson MP (Houghton and Sunderland South):

Dear Jude

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the Trade Bill.

The NHS has deservedly seen an outpouring of support from across the nation in recent weeks. The fact remains that I do have serious concerns over the ability of the Conservative government to defend and protect the NHS, to ensure that it provides quality health services to the British people. I can assure you that I will oppose any threats to these principles.

On the issue of the Trade Bill more widely, I have no issue in principle with a Bill that provides the legal mechanisms to enable our transition from trading as a part of the EU bloc to return conventions and competence to the UK. I do also believe in a trade policy that is transparent and subject to full parliamentary scrutiny, and so would have welcomed a Trade Bill that ensures meaningful parliamentary scrutiny of all future UK trade and investment treaties. This Trade Bill represents a considerable missed opportunity, and sets the bar far too low when it comes to the level of transparency and parliamentary accountability that this and future legislation related to trade should meet. I therefore voted against the Bill at its Second Reading.

Labour tabled a reasoned amendment explaining why this Bill was unsuitable, stating ‘it fails to set out proper procedures for Parliamentary consultation, scrutiny, debate and approval of future international trade agreements, fails to protect the principle of Parliamentary sovereignty in respect of the implementation of international trade agreements previously negotiated by the European Union and in respect of changes to existing government procurement regulations arising from the UK’s or other countries’ accession to the Government Procurement Agreement, fails to establish sufficient scrutiny procedures to replace those that have pertained while the UK has been a member of the European Union, fails to guarantee that the UK’s current high standards and rights will be protected in future trade agreements, and fails to render the Trade Remedies Authority answerable to Parliament or representative of the full range of stakeholders who should be included in its membership.’

The Trade Bill did pass nevertheless, and is now being considered by a Public Bill Committee which will scrutinise each line of the Bill and is expected to report to the House by Thursday 25 June 2020. I can assure you I will continue to monitor the Trade Bill, and you can follow its progress via the following link: https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2019-21/trade.html.

In usual circumstances, I would write to the Government to forward your queries. However, as I am sure you can appreciate, MPs have now been advised that due to the existing pressures faced by ministers, we should only make representations for the most urgent coronavirus-related cases.

Thank you again for writing to me.

Yours sincerely,

Bridget Phillipson MP

==========

From Alan Campbell MP (Tynemouth)

Dear Jude Letham

Thankyou for contacting me about trade agreements and the NHS. 

I appreciate your concerns on this issue. I am not opposed in principle to free trade agreements, including a trade deal with the US. As the global economy seeks to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, we will need to agree new trade deals that will benefit UK workers and businesses of all sizes. However, these trade deals must serve our interests in the long term and protect our existing rights and standards. Crucially, as you highlight, they must not threaten our health service.

The US Governments negotiating objectives for a trade deal with the UK, published in February 2019, include UK commitments to provide access to service markets, with only “the narrowest possible exceptions with the least possible impact on US firms”. These exceptions, it says, should be “on a negative list basis” – where all services are included unless explicitly excluded. In addition, the US states that it will seek to ensure drug price regulations “provide full market access for US products”.

The UK Governments says the NHS and the price it pays for drugs will not be on the table in trade negotiations with the US. However, I worry that the Government’s urgent desire for any sort of deal could lead to an agreement designed for the benefit of the major corporations behind the American healthcare industry.

We must never let our health service be up for grabs in any trade negotiation. We must ensure that all parts of the NHS are fully protected under any international trade deals. For the Government to reassure NHS patients that this will be the case, it needs to make clear that it will ensure explicit wording rules out liberalisation measures from applying to our NHS. Importantly, it also needs to provide proper procedures for parliamentary consultation, scrutiny, debate and approval of future international trade agreements, so we can attempt to hold it to account on this. I am disappointed that its current Trade Bill does not do this, and I therefore opposed it at Second Reading.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue. I can assure you that I will continue to do all that I can to protect our NHS from any threats to it in future trade deals.

Yours sincerely

Alan Campbell MP

*********

….and we await the responses from the remaining 17 MPs

4th June 2020 – Response from North Tyneside Elected Mayor

Further to the post below and our emails to Norma Redfearn re the privatised 111 call centre in North Tyneside, please find below Norma’s response.  We would be interested in your views about this response – comments, please, to konpnortheast@gmail.com

Dear Mr Whalley

Thank you for your recent email.

I understand that the Council’s Public Protection Team were contacted with complaints about SITEL practice towards staff at the beginning of the period of “lockdown”.  Those complaints were investigated and found SITEL able to evidence the right practice in meeting the Public Health England guidance for teams who could not work at home.

NHS England confirmed NHS 111 is run by a mix of organisations including private, social enterprises and NHS Providers.  The current national Coronavirus Response Service is run on behalf of NHS 111 by private providers including SITEL.  This was done to respond to significantly increased demand following the outbreak and reliance on those private providers is already being reduced and is due to be phased out.

The call responders used, were trained specifically to deal with Coronavirus-related calls and were appropriately selected, screened and trained.  That training was developed by the same NHS clinical staff responsible for the core NHS111 service.  Pathways and guidance were designed in line with Public Health England material and clear governance was put in place to ensure transfer to a clinician for a full assessment when required.

NHS 111 in the North East is delivered by North East Ambulance Service Foundation Trust.  The call handling elements are not subcontracted and are judged as “Good” by CQC.  During the implementation of the national Coronavirus Response Service, callers were given a choice between the national response line and the local NHS111 service operated by NEAS.

Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me.

Kind Regards, Norma Redfearn CBE

Elected Mayor of North Tyneside

4th June 2020 – Second call for Norma Redfearn, NT Elected Mayor….

KONPNE remains concerned about the quality of service provided by the privatised 111 call centre located in North Tyneside and, after nil response to our email to Norma Redfearn sent one month ago, today we have written again – our two emails copied below are self-explanatory…

SENT MAY 3rd 2020:

Dear Mayor Redfearn

We hope you and your family are staying well through the current crisis.

We have received some concerning information about the way that Covid 19 is being dealt with in North Tyneside.  https://calderdaleandkirklees999callforthenhs.wordpress.com/2020/04/07/suspected-covid-19-patients-lives-are-in-the-hands-of-nhs-111-call-handlers-with-only-90-minutes-training/

In this article, it is alleged that call handlers for the 111 service employed by Sitel UK in North Tyneside have been receiving as little as 90 minutes training on a script to follow, when they are contacted by people with suspected Covid 19 symptoms, and there is thus significant concern about the quality of the service being provided.

According to our sources, Sitel is employing around 300 people to staff the Tyneside NHS 111 Covid 19 lines, about 90% of whom are new starters, many just 16-17yrs old.  We know of one young man working there who commented about the work, “It’s easy, you just tell them they can’t have an ambulance.”

We have contacted the two local MPs to ask them to investigate the 111 service being provided.

It will be of great concern to you as Mayor of North Tyneside Council, that the Council assisted Sitel UK (a subsidiary of the American owned company, Sitel) to set up their provision at Cobalt Business Park, through the Invest North Tyneside initiative.  https://investnorthtyneside.co.uk/?s=Sitel

We are already disgusted at the overturning of the Council motion made in 2018, which stated that they would not implement the delivery of healthcare via an Integrated Care System.  We believe that Integrated Care Systems will accelerate the privatisation of the NHS.  If the allegations against Sitel UK are true, they highlight the grave concerns that we have about the quality of service given by private companies and the lack of accountability for their actions.

The Steering Group of KONP North East, our members and National KONP, would be interested to hear your views on this matter.

Regards, Jude Letham – (Co-ordinator) on behalf of KONPNE Steering Group

…..AND SENT JUNE 4th 2020:

Dear Mayor Redfearn

I am a member of Keep Our NHS Public North East Steering Group and a resident of North Tyneside, and Jude Letham (KONPNE Co-ordinator) has asked me to get in touch with you.

Please find copied below an email which was sent to you over a month ago. Your response would be appreciated.

To my mind, issues regarding governance, training, quality of service and customer satisfaction need to be explored and fully examined. As part of this, it will be crucial to know how the service is being evaluated, and how the parameters for this have been set. I would be grateful for your views about this and any plan of action you intend to take. Thank you. I am sure you agree that it is crucial that this privatised health business located in North Tyneside is fit for purpose – this is important at the best of times, but doubly important given the extremely sensitive nature of the work involved at the current time.

I write this email to yourself on behalf of all KONPNE members. Myself and other members who live in North Tyneside are particularly concerned about this private business being on our doorstep. Details of these emails to yourself and your response are shared with all KONPNE members – at our (currently Zoom) meetings, and also communicated on our website and social media. I am also copying in North Tyneside Healthwatch, for information / action.

John Whalley

Steering Group member, Keep Our NHS Public North East

31st May 2020 – Going the extra mile

Spotted in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, this morning. The health professionals who work in our wonderful NHS go the extra mile, day in, day out, and recently at very significant personal risk – their actions demand our huge respect and we need to fly the flag in giving enormous gratitude. Contrast with the guy who “went the extra 260 miles” up the M1 during lockdown…and then took his family on an eye test….

No comparison. Actions speak louder than words, and both have demonstrated very clearly what they are made of.

18th May 2020 – KONPNE contacts MPs in the North East (all 22 of them….)

We are urging everyone to write to their MP about the urgent need to support the amendments to the current Trade Bill. As part of this campaign, KONPNE co-ordinator Jude Letham has written to all 22 MPs on behalf of KONPNE, to put our views forward. The email is copied below – please follow this up by writing to your MP and/or arranging a Zoom meeting (many MPs are conducting Zoom surgeries with their constituents). Full information about the Campaign is on our events page here

Dear ……………

I hope you and your family are staying well through the current crisis.

Covid 19 has highlighted how precious our NHS is, but unfortunately, it is also very vulnerable as the current Trade Bill does not exclude the NHS.  We at ‘Keep Our NHS Public North East’ (including many of your constituents) have joined with ‘We Own It’ to argue for the Trade Bill to be amended, when it has its second reading on Wednesday 20th May.

I am sure you will agree that it is not enough to hear the Prime Minister and Liz Truss say that the NHS is not for sale: we need a legally binding commitment in the form of an amendment to the Trade Bill.  ‘We Own It’ have identified five things that the Trade Bill needs to include if the NHS is to be properly protected:

1. Specific carve-out for the NHS, all health-relevant services and regulation: it should be illegal for the government to conclude a trade agreement which alters the way NHS services are provided, liberalises healthcare further, or opens up parts of the NHS to foreign investment. 

2. No use of negative listing: these clauses require that all industries are liberalised in trade agreements unless there are specific carve-outs. It is not always easy to define what services count as health services: for instance, digital services may seem irrelevant to health, but NHS data management and GP appointments are increasingly digitised. Negative lists therefore make it harder for governments to regulate and provide health services. 

3. No standstill clauses or ratchet clauses: these provisions mean that, after the trade deal has been signed, parties are not allowed to reduce the level of liberalisation beyond what it was at the point of signature. This can make it difficult to reverse NHS privatisation.

4. No ISDS: Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clauses in trade agreements allow private investors to challenge governments over changes to domestic legislation. We need to be able to control our own laws. 

5. No changes to drugs pricing mechanism: the US administration has publicly stated that they wish to use a trade deal to challenge the NHS’s drugs purchasing model, which keeps prices low. Medicines are vital to our health – there must not be any concessions on this in trade talks.

I hope you will argue for strong protections for our NHS and drug prices, and/or support Caroline Lucas’s ‘reasoned amendment’ that the Bill should not pass because of lack of scrutiny.

I look forward to hearing how you have supported our NHS and will report your response in our next newsletter.

Regards

Jude Letham   (Co-ordinator)    Keep Our NHS Public North East    

11th May 2020 – KONPNE discussion night via Zoom

Two inspiring video clips from recent on-line meetings provided an introduction to tonights informal discussion.  Julie Hesmondhalgh (actor and chair of Manchester Peoples Assembly, taking part in a People’s Assembly meeting) spoke of the current context and the need for change and John Lister (Health Campaigns Together, featuring in a Q&A session by Curzon Cinema) spoke of possible ways forward.

…and, of course, our discussion highlighted a resounding consensus about the importance of campaigning in the North East on both local and national issues. Due to the current social restrictions brought about by the coronavirus, we need to review the way we work and adapt accordingly, and some excellent proposals were put forward regarding the future. These will all be picked up and developed at our next KONPNE meeting on Monday 8th June. All  welcome – details here

 

10th May 2020 – and spotted on Whitley Bay promenade this morning – we like your style!!

It is time for change. Members of the public are, literally, getting the word out on the streets…..

3rd May 2020 – Huge concerns about privatised COVID 19 call centre in North Tyneside

We have received some concerning information about the way that Covid 19 is being dealt with in North Tyneside – please see the following report from our colleagues in the health campaign group “999 Call for the NHS”: https://calderdaleandkirklees999callforthenhs.wordpress.com/2020/04/07/suspected-covid-19-patients-lives-are-in-the-hands-of-nhs-111-call-handlers-with-only-90-minutes-training/

In this article, it is alleged that call handlers for the 111 service employed by the private company Sitel UK in North Tyneside have been receiving as little as 90 minutes training on a script to follow, when they are contacted by people with suspected Covid 19 symptoms – there is a very significant concern about the quality of the service being provided.

Today, we have written to both Mary Glindon MP and Alan Campbell MP (North Tyneside MPs), North Tyneside Councillors, and Norma Redfearn (Mayor of North Tyneside) – and we await responses…

But the water is murky. An associated issue is that it was, indeed, North Tyneside Council who originally assisted Sitel UK (a subsidiary of the American owned company, Sitel) to set up their call centre at Cobalt Business Park, through the Invest North Tyneside initiative….doesn’t sit comfortably with the Councils response to the KONPNE formal question about health privatisation at the full North Tyneside Council meeting just two months previously (scroll down to 4th March 2020) when Councillor Karen Kilgour attempted to assure that “there is no risk of a privatised health system in the current structure”.

Lets be clear – a blanket one-off privatisation of our healthcare will not happen overnight – it is an incremental process, with an ever-decreasing NHS presence and a corresponding increase in contracting to private business. We have the skills in our NHS workforce – and we need to ensure that they remain there….and, indeed, we all have a part to play in ensuring that happens….

29th April 2020 – spotted in Fenham, Newcastle, this morning….

This is very true. Every day, thousands of NHS staff, social care staff, and other keyworkers are literally putting their lives at risk when they go into work….and where is the back up from our politicians? Be sure about it – this Government will be called to account.

28th April 2020 – Huge respect and gratitude

With huge respect and gratitude from all at KONPNE on International Workers Memorial Day, Today we remember the sacrifice of the health workers and key workers who have died caring for us during the crisis, here and across the world.
Please observe a minute’s silence at 11.00am.
We are grateful to Gilda at Leeds KONP for artwork.

27th April 2020 – KONPNE and Zoom campaigning

Our first online meeting using Zoom – obviously not as engaging as meeting together and we are very aware that some people aren’t online…   But maybe there are also a few positives?? Some people have commented that zoom saves travelling time and, indeed, may be more accessible for those who live in outlying or rural areas, or where transport or mobility may be challenging. Anyway – we continue to try to utilise all means of communication open to us at any one time…in addition to zoom meetings, we have this website, our regular Campaign email updates, and very active facebook and twitter postings AND, most importantly, we rely on all supporters to spread the word….and we will be back to face-to-face meetings (and maybe also keeping some zoom gatherings??) as soon as we can.

The first meeting this evening went well, with 17 participants – our thanks to Jude for organising and chairing. Discussions and presentations centred around accessing PPE locally, the national KONP perspective on the Coronavirus Pandemic, and the range of activities which we can get involved in now (see here) .  The notes from the meeting are posted here: 27-04-20 KONPNE Meeting Notes

A heads up re two dates:

>>>> Monday 11th May @ 7pm – KONPNE online event – possibly video and online discussion….watch this space for information

>>>> Monday 8th June @ 7pm – next KONPNE online meeting via zoom – please log in at 7pm for introductory notices

More info about these two events, plus a users guide to zoom, are located here

26th April 2020 – Patient Care Not Company Profits

Hear Jude Letham, Co-ordinator of “Keep Our NHS Public North East”, outline the issues associated with the ongoing privatisation of the NHS.

24th April 2020 – Video briefing from Keep Our NHS Public (national office) Co-Chair Dr Tony O’Sullivan

Tony examines the lessons that can be learned from the Coronavirus Pandemic and outlines what we must now demand

22nd April 2020 – New video from singer/songwriter Bethany Elen

See North East musician / songwriter Bethany Elens new NHS video here:

and to buy the track, please click here https://bethany-elen.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-the-nhs

Bethany Elen has supported the campaign for many years, and we are grateful for her ongoing support.

21st April 2020 – Hear Dr Gerard Reissmann

Dr Gerard Reissmann, Newcastle GP and KONPNE steering group member, talks about Coronavirus and the desperate situation in nursing homes

16th April 2020 – UK / US trade deals and the North East

KONPNE support the great campaigning initative from “We Own It” regarding the current UK / US trade deals.  As long as NHS services are provided by private companies, our NHS is still on the table –  no matter what the politicians say.

John Whalley, a member of the KONPNE steering group has contacted his constituency MP to ask her to support amendments to the Trade Bill – Mary Glindon MP (North Tyneside) received the following email today, and the attachment is also linked below

Dear Mary, 

We will keep you updated on Marys response – but this is just the start and we now call upon all KONPNE supporters to join in with the Campaign. We ask that you contact your MP (email addresses for all North East MPs are here), and for as many people as possible to write (it would be great if a MP is contacted by a number of constituents). Full info and guidance is currently on our website “events” page here….your assistance would be greatly appreciated. It is CRUCIAL that the amendment is fully discussed and agreed.

Members of KONPNE work closely with “We Own It”. It is a highly regarded national organisation which campaigns for public ownership of public services – more information about their work is found here: https://weownit.org.uk/public-ownership/nhs

April 2020 – Coronavirus – GUIDANCE FROM THE NHS

For advice from the NHS about Coronavirus (Covid 19) incl symptoms, preventative actions, high risk groups, social distancing and self isolation, then please click here: 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

and HUGE RESPECT to all healthcare workers from people across the country….

7th April 2020 – In Exhibition Park this morning…are YOU there to look after the NHS?

Spotted amidst the spring flowers, birdsong and sunlight this morning – Our NHS has been there for us for the past seventy years, and is fighting for us big style today. HUGE RESPECT to all healthworkers and keyworkers who are facing very significant personal risks in looking after us and helping us to get through these very difficult days…

Thought for the day is: Are you there to look after the NHS?  We need to restore the responsibility of the Secretary of State to provide a comprehensive, integrated, publicly owned NHS free at the point of need.

Check out the petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300019

28th March 2020 – Buy “Song for the NHS” by Newcastle singer/songwriter Bethany Elen Coyle

SONG FOR THE NHS by Bethany Elen Coyle

Written by Bethany Elen Coyle, and first performed by Bethany Elen and Ron Brown at the KONPNE / Peoples Assembly 2017 NHS Rally in Newcastle, Bethany is donating all proceeds from future sales to groups who are supporting NHS workers dealing with the current coronavirus outbreak.

Download plus unlimited streaming – £1.50 or more

https://bethany-elen.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-the-nhs

26th March 2020 – Blue Sky, Blue Tyne Bridge, Lots Of Noise and HUGE respect

No black and white in sight in the toon tonight….blue all the way, plus cheers, clapping, lots of noise and HUGE RESPECT to our NHS workers fighting the Coronavirus pandemic

25th March 2020 – Open letter to Matt Hancock on the Private Healthcare announcement

             

25 March 2020

Dear Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health & Social Care,

Thank you for bringing private healthcare capacity into public control to tackle the coronavirus crisis. This was exactly what needed to be done. This vital boost to beds, staff and intensive care equipment will save more lives, plain and simple. 

We’re happy to hear you recognise that no one should be profiting off our collective illness. We’ve seen reports that ‘no profit will be made’ by companies, but now we need to see the deal. 

That’s why we’re demanding that this ‘deal’ be made public, every dot and comma of it. You have stated that it will be done with “Open book” accounting, and external auditors verifying the public money being used. But we deserve to see what is being contracted to private companies here, including staffing arrangements. As Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs offer their hotels to NHS staff for free, we repeat no profit should be made in this arrangement. 

Over 17,000 NHS beds have gone since 2010, meaning patients were already being sent to private hospitals for treatment, channeling cash and vital NHS staff to private companies. NHS capacity must be expanded to serve our communities: it is not there to prop up private companies.

This experience has taught us that we are all in this together, and that our NHS is a vital life saving organ looking after our health together, no matter whether you can pay. 

To keep our NHS intact at the end of this, we ask that you pledge:

• That this ‘deal’ be made public, every dot and comma of it. 

• To end all of these contracts after this crisis. We know that private companies are hungry for long term NHS contracts. This means chunks out of the NHS budget are given to companies who in turn take profits, wasting money and fragmenting our health service. We do not want privatisation by stealth. 

• Reinstate our NHS by ending all privatisation across the service as soon as this is over. 

• That the NHS gets adequate funding and capacity to guarantee proper staffing and the beds required to treat people, so that the long term crisis in our health can end. 

This crisis, that grips our families and friends every day, has shown that the NHS needed more capacity to deal with this in the first place. We hope to work with you to do this in the coming years.

Co-signed by:

We Own It, Keep Our NHS Public, Health Campaigns Together, Momentum, Doctors for the NHS, Our NHS, GMB, Medact

23rd March 2020 – KONP calls for immediate lockdown

Health Campaigners call for an immediate lockdown
Press release on behalf of Keep Our NHS Public – for Immediate use
23 March 2020

National NHS campaigning organisation Keep Our NHS Public, in solidarity with an increasing amount of healthcare staff around the country, is calling on the government to impose an immediate lockdown.

See: https://keepournhspublic.com/about-us/press/health-campaigners-immediate-lockdown

22nd March 2020 – Blue Angel of the North tonight for our NHS

What can we say?

Superb installation tonight from the Arts Collective “Come Together North East”. They write on facebook:

We would like to show our love, gratitude and solidarity to all NHS workers that are showing that they are the true heroes in our society, and always. All the best always, and thank you for everything you do, from the North East. 👏