Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts)

Monday, 10 December 2012

Thursday, December 13 - Save Lewisham Hospital Day of Action

There will be a Lewisham Day of Action on Thursday 13th December: a photo action and a candle lit vigil at the hospital. Download flyers from www.savelewishamhospital.com or www.lewishamkonp.org/resources

The threat to Lewisham A&E is part of a massive sustained assault on the NHS.  Fighting back against that is a daunting task. What inspiratuion can we gain from past battles that created and defended the NHS?  South London Alliance For Workers' Liberty (AWL) is organising a public discussion on Tuesday 11th December 6.30pm, lead by Jill Mountford, a member of the Save Lewisham A&E organising committee, and Lewisham nurse Anita Downs.
"How was the NHS won? How was it defended? How can we save it now?"
Tuesday 11th December, 6.30pm, Richard Hoggart Building, Goldsmiths University

Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 04:43 2 comments:
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Sunday, 2 December 2012

Atos vigil, Save Lewisham Hospital and "Converge on Kershaw" this week



Vigil in Remembrance of Atos Victims
to be held on International Day of Disabled People
3rd December 2012

Assemble outside Atos Assessment Centre, Stephenson House, 2 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, CR0 6BA at 12.30pm for a Minute’s Silence to be held at 12.45pm

Speakers:  Janet Richards, Chair of Croydon Disability Forum and Ellen Clifford, Disabled People Against Cuts

A vigil will be held outside the Atos assessment centre in Croydon on 3rd December in remembrance of disabled and ill people who have suffered as a result of the punitive regime of assessments carried out by Atos Healthcare to test Incapacity Benefit/Employment and Support Allowance claimants. Croydon and Bromley Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) are organising the event in response to John McDonnell MP’s call for International Day of Disabled People which falls on the 3rd to be held this year to remember all Atos victims.

73 disabled people found ‘fit for work’ through Atos Healthcare’s notorious Work Capability Assessments die every week. Some die of the conditions Atos have assessed them on, others take their own lives in sheer desperation at the hopelessness of their situation.

The British Medical Association voted overwhelmingly that these Assessments are unethical and should be stopped with immediate effect yet the misery continues with disabled people terrified of the day the brown envelope calling them up to assessment comes through.

Suffering is not limited to the thousands of disabled people undergoing the distress of continual assessments, removal of benefits before they are even informed of any decisions and the stress of appeals, it also affects the families, friends and carers of disabled people.

The 13 year old son of Brian McArdle wrote to Atos to tell them they are ‘killing genuinely disabled people like my Dad’ after his Dad died from a heart attack the day after his benefits were stopped. Mr McArdle, having suffered a blood clot on his brain, was left paralysed on one side, unable to speak properly and blind in one eye and yet was summoned to an Atos work capacity assessment, before which he suffered a further stroke.

This is just one of thousands of similar cases across the country. People with terminal illnesses are routinely found fit for work alongside soldiers returning from Afghanistan with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, people with severe physical impairments, people with learning disabilities and mental health survivors.

Atos enjoys a one hundred million pound contract with the Department for Work and Pensions and last year their Chief Executive pocketed a cool one million pound bonus for running a company linked to bullying of staff and failing to pay workers a living wage.

Meanwhile the tax-payer picks up an extra fifty million bill for the cost of appeals against judgements made through the Atos WCA process.

Atos carries out its contract with the Department for Work and Pensions with callous disregard for the welfare of disabled people. The General Medical Council are investigating numerous healthcare staff employed by Atos for professional misconduct while the assessment centre in Croydon is not even accessible to wheelchair users, leaving them having to travel miles away to an alternative centre.

The vigil is being called by members of Croydon and Bromley Disabled People Against Cuts but we invite everyone who believes in social justice and the rights of disabled people to join us.

Then on Monday evening 7pm, 3rd December, a Save Lewisham Hospital organising meeting, Waldron Health Centre, Amersham Vale, New Cross
More details Lewisham Keep Our NHS Public website

http://www.lewishamkonp.org/action

Tuesday 4th December, 6pm Calabash Centre, George Lane SE6 3HH

Matthew Kershaw, the special administrator appointed by the government is "consulting" with the public. Come and tell him why you object to his proposals.

The event coincides with the 55th anniversary of the Lewisham train crash when 90 people died but many lives were saved due to the proximity of Lewisham Hospital.
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 08:55 No comments:
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Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Lunchtime protest Lewisham plus public meeting tonight

As part of Lewisham's Keep Our NHS Public community campaign, so successful last Saturday, health workers and trade unionists are organizing a lunchtime protest at 1 p.m. today, Wednesday 28th November, outside Lewisham hospital. Regular weekly Wednesday lunchtime protests are planned to continue until Lewisham Hospital is saved for good.

http://www.lewishamkonp.org/hospital/workers

Public meeting tonight 7pm Broadway Theatre, Catford. Speakers - Dr John Lister, London Health Emergency; Dr Louise Irvine, Lewisham GP; Heidi Alexander MP plus Lewisham patients and staff.  
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Saturday, 24 November 2012

'hands around our hospital' protest, Saturday Nov 24

BBC news London
http://www.facebook.com/LewishamKONP
nhsunity.com 
















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Monday, 12 November 2012

November's updates

Made by a supporter of Lewisham Keep Our NHS Public campaign, here is amateur YouTube video of BBC London’s filmed report of Save London Hospital meeting, Thursday, 8th November.



(Dr. Louise Irvine, local Lewisham GP interviewed, is founder member of party political organisation National Health Action)

Following this hugely successful Save Lewisham Hospital public meeting on Thursday last week the shape of the campaign to come can be found in the information to be found in the links below:
Monday 12th November – a meeting for hospital workers, for details click here.
Wednesday 14th November – organising meeting for anyone who can help with the campaign. For details click here.
Thursday 15th November - NHA launched (see above) with press release here
There are protests planned around Trust Special Administrator Matthew Kershaw and of course the Lewisham Hospital demonstration Saturday 24th November, click here for details.

Twitter Save Lewisham A&E
Facebook Hands Around Our Hospital
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 09:59 No comments:
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Tuesday, 30 October 2012

...remember, remember, dates for November!


Wednesday 7th November, 7.30pm, Save Our Local Hospitals (SOLH) meeting to respond to Kershaw's proposals, Charlton House, Charlton Road, SE7 8RE. 
Read News Shopper story here 
Thursday 8th November, 6pm, Save Lewisham Hospital Public Meeting, Lessoff Auditorium, Lewisham Hospital, SE13 6LH. More stories from Lewisham here

http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/
Sign the petition here 

Monday 12th November 6pm, Lobby of Full Council Meeting, outside Council Meeting Rooms, Civic Centre, Bromley. Part of campaign to stop Tory Council attempting to rip up National Pay & Conditions Staff contracts & agreements.
Wednesday 14th November, #14N European Strike
Thursday 22nd November, 6-7.30pm, Bromley TUC AGM, HG Wells, St MarKs Road, Bromley South. All Bromley trade unionists very welcome.

The Future of Queen Mary's Sidcup - public meetings with a panel of experts from local health & social care groups to discuss proposed changes: 
Monday 19th November, 2pm-4pm, Baptist Church, Queen Street, Erith. 
Wednesday 21st November 7pm-9pm, Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Bexleyheath. 
Friday 23rd November 10am-12pm, Sidcup Sports Club, Crescent Farm, Sydney Road, Main Road, Sidcup.

Saturday 24th November 2pm, proposed march, rally and 'hands around the hospital' Lewisham.  Assemble Loampit Vale Roundabout.
Lewisham Keep Our NHS Public here 

Please come along, get involved and have your say.

Beckenham Beacon to close under re-organisation plans

Penge and Cator Labour Councillor John Getgood writes on Bromley's and Lewisham's healthcare crisis - 

...We cannot afford to lose one of these first class facilities, yet alone both...

Read more in November's entries on Penge and Cator Councillors' blog here http://www.pengeandcatorcouncillors.co.uk/  

and don't forget to join our Facebook page!
Bromley Cuts Concern - Fighting Against the Cuts.

Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 13:46 No comments:
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Tuesday, 23 October 2012

Lobby of Bromley Council

This post is a reminder of the lobby of Bromley Council tonight, Tuesday October 23rd (see previous post), planned to begin at 6pm for a 7pm start at Bromley Civic Centre.  

A trade union branch secretary representing Bromley's local government workers writes -

"...Chief Executive (Bromley Council) is holding road shows where he is announcing that the Council intends to go from a providing authority to a commissioning one. In other words whole sale privatisation." 
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 00:56 No comments:
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Monday, 8 October 2012

October's local anti-austerity drives have started!



Tuesday October 9 - Save Our Local Hospitals organising meeting 7.30pm - Sidcup Labour Offices  Sidcup Hill Sidcup (just at the end of the High Street towards Foots Cray.) A small group has volunteered to be an organising committee for 38 Degrees campaign (see previous post) in Bromley.

Wednesday October 10 -Greenwich and Bexley Trades Council anti-austerity public meeting 7.30pm - Charlton House.

Thursday October 11, Was Marx right? Is there an alternative to capitalism?
South London Workers' Liberty meeting, 7pm - New Cross Learning Centre (New Cross Library), 283-285 New Cross Road (next to Iceland) http://www.facebook.com/events/423464944381273/?fref=ts

Also Thursday October 11 - Bromley Cuts Concern meeting HG Wells Centre, 7.30pm

Lewisham Keep Our NHS Public website here with more anti-cuts activities and dates
http://www.lewishamkonp.org/

Lobby of Bromley Council
Glenn Kelly, Bromley Council's Staff Side Secretary writes on the local authority's consultation concerning withdrawal from National Terms and Conditions

Dear Staff member
The council are now going to consider the outcome of the consultation and
decide if they wish to take this matter any further at a meeting on 23rd
October.

It is vital that as many staff as possible attend this public meeting to ensue/that

we let them now what we feel about this issue. I would ask all staff to join the
lobby of that meeting and then to go in to listen to the debate.

Lobby of the Council
6pm,  23rd October
Civic centre
Bromley

Put the date in your diary
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 01:56 No comments:
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Thursday, 4 October 2012

38 Degrees get togethers

Leading 'Useful links' on the right of this website since day one, 38 Degrees now introduce a further initiative to save local NHS services - get togethers in the area

Here are details of two local meet-ups already organized by supporters.

Bromley, Saturday, October 6th 
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/event/detail/nhscampaignlocalgettogether/wrst

Greenwich, Monday, October 15th 
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/event/detail/nhscampaignlocalgettogether/wrsv

Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 13:15 No comments:
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Tuesday, 25 September 2012

NHS links - fightback has begun

An anonymous comment, the fightback has BEGUN!, added to a recent post on this blog, was the feeling expressed last night at a public meeting organized jointly by Bromley Cuts Concern's community campaigners and a reinvigorated Bromley TUC. 

 (Left to right) John MCDonnell MP; Gill George; Mick Carney (chair); Chris Baugh; Glenn Kelly.

The work of two doctors, John Lister and Olive Peedell, not reported in mainstream media, was brought to the attention of invited speakers and gathered supporters. 

 


Dr. John Lister, in a short YouTube clip from March 2012, is Director of Health Emergency

Some doctors are taking a direct approach [...] Clive Peedell, a consultant oncologist who in January ran six marathons in six days in opposition to the Bill – an extraordinary story that nevertheless gained minimal media coverage [...]

(How to reclaim our NHS from NHS Support Federation website)

Links to recent NHS anti-cuts stories in and around London here, here and here  
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 03:45 No comments:
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Sunday, 23 September 2012

public meetings and open petitions


A Bromley borough resident concerned about cuts and privatisation writes -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2206107/STOP-THE-CASUALTY-CLOSURES.html

This is the Mail on Sunday A&E petition webpage. The Mail is very influential among politicians, and reaches many people who are not aware of what is going on.  If they believe many people are interested, they will cover the NHS privatisation story more and better:

FaceBook users may have seen a page forwarded by a supporter with an invitation to sign and share. It's to ask for Freedom of Information about private sector organisations

https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38851

 There is a joint shadow SE London Commissioning Boards (Clinical Commissioning Groups) Meeting this coming Thursday (27th Sept) at Coin St Neighbourhood Centre, Stamford St, SE 1 9NH



CRISIS IN SOUTH LONDON HEALTH TRUST & CUTS TO PUBLIC SERVICES

Here is reminder of Bromley Cuts Concern and Bromley TUC's own joint public meeting tonight

ALL WELCOME

Invited speakers and guests

Gill George, Local NHS worker & Unite trade unionist 
Glenn Kelly, Staff Side Secretary, Bromley Council
Chris Baugh, Assistant General Secretary, PCS
John McDonnell MP, Chair of Labour's Representation Committee (LRC)
Chair: Mick Carney, Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA)

Musical entertainment from Strawberry Thieves Choir


Monday, September 24th, 7pm
HG Wells Centre
St Marks Road
Nr. Bromley South Station.




Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 08:00 1 comment:
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Monday, 17 September 2012

350-strong March from Woolwich to Save the NHS


Lynne Windeatt  of Greenwich & Bexley Trades Union Council writes: 
The Save Our Local Hospitals campaign was launched last Saturday September 15th with a 350-strong march from Woolwich town centre to Charlton comprising of local trade unionists - PCS, GMB, UCU, RMT, NUT, Unite and Unison, health campaigners from "Keep Our NHS Public" and "We Love the NHS", the local Labour Party, Greenwich & Bexley Trades Union Council, the Bromley pensioners group  and members of residents associations.
Speakers included Eltham Labour MP Clive Efford, Candy Udwin from "Keep Our NHS Public" and Andy Prendergast, a local GMB Official, all demanding that the government back down from any privatisation and/or closure plans for the three hospitals under threat - Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich, Queen Mary in Sidcup and Princess Royal in Bromley.
The march was loud and lively with constant chants to save the NHS.  The day was summed up by a local young female health worker at the Charlton Park rally who pledged that "we are not going to take this lying down".

The government’s plans to privatise and fragment our NHS are taking shape in South London including Bromley areas Lewisham West and Penge. Local doctors are forming a Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in the locality. Add your name at 38 Degrees petition to your local doctors here  

a future that works - spread the word!
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 03:49 1 comment:
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Wednesday, 12 September 2012

March against further cuts to south London hospitals in Woolwich

Bexley News Shopper continues its support with excellent picture and story on south London's 'Save Our Local NHS Hospitals' campaign. 

 

March against further cuts to NHS being held on Saturday; picture of previous protest organised by NHS Public

Sarah Trotter's story from September 10 2012 © News Shopper, Bexley edition website 12/9/12

March against further cuts to NHS being held on Saturday; picture of previous protest organised by 
NHS Public.

Protestors who fear for the future of the NHS can march against further cuts to South London hospitals in Woolwich on Saturday.

Following the administration of the South London Healthcare Trust – which runs Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich, Queen Mary’s in Sidcup, and the Princess Royal in Bromley - campaigners are worried that services at these hospitals are under threat.

Staff, patients and residents are being urged to join the “Save South London Hospitals” march run by Greenwich and Bexley Trades Council (GBTC), Save our Local Hospitals and I Love the NHS.

Secretary of GBTC Lynne Chamberlain said: “Unless we fight back with great determination, what we have taken for granted since 1948 is going to be seriously under threat.
"We believe that the NHS should be free for all people. There is enough money to go around.
"We love the Olympics but if there is enough money for that, there should be for the NHS. How can there be money for war and not for the NHS? It doesn’t make sense.”

The protest takes place on Saturday (September 15) at 1pm in Woolwich General Gordon Square.
Campaigning group I Love the NHS has also drawn up a blueprint of services it believes the NHS should provide. It will be presented to parliament and to add your name visit
http://www.ilovethenhs.org.uk/greenwich-peoples-nhs-charter/

Don't forget to add your name to 38 Degrees' Open Letter to Jeremy Hunt here! 
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 09:49 No comments:
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Friday, 7 September 2012

Save Our Local NHS Hospitals

38 Degrees have led this blog's 'useful links' since day one. They've composed a message to new Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt HERE. Add your name to the Open Letter now -
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/jeremy-hunt-open-letter#petition

Here are two excellent photographs and story from August 31st © News Shopper 5/9/12/ Bexley edition.





PROTESTERS opposing a ward closure at Queen Mary’s Hospital have marched through Sidcup.
Campaigners are angry about the closure of the hospital’s gynaecological ward which treats women for conditions including cancer and fertility issues.
The ward, which closed at the weekend, has been moved to a mixed sex surgical ward at Queen Mary’s.
A group of 20 protesters travelled from Sidcup High Street to the hospital, where they presented a letter to the trust’s administrator, Matthew Kershaw.
Save Our Hospitals member Eileen Smith said: “We were supported by the passing public and many hoots from passing cars.”
An SHLT spokesman said: “We confirm that gynaecology patients will not mix with male patients while being cared for on these wards.
“We’re making changes to the way wards work to bring all our surgical wards together on one floor, so staff with surgical expertise can support each other in caring for our patients that have undergone surgery.”

Don't forget to add your name to 38 Degrees' Open Letter to Jeremy Hunt here!
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 13:17 2 comments:
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Saturday, 25 August 2012

Bromley NHS and Trades Council public meeting

Following on from August 16th's blog post - here are updated details of Bromley Against the Cuts trades union council open meeting planned next month.Chaired by local trade unionist Mick Carney (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association) with  confirmed line-up of invited speakers and guests. 

Crisis in South London Health Trust & Cuts to Public Services
Gill George, Local NHS worker & Unite trade unionist 
Glenn Kelly, Unison Staff Side Secretary, Bromley Council
Chris Baugh, Assistant General Secretary, PCS
John McDonnell MP, Chair of Labour's Representation Committee (LRC)
plus musical entertainment from Strawberry Thieves Choir
Monday, September 24th, 7pm
HG Wells Centre
St Marks Road
Nr. Bromley South Station.

ALL WELCOME

In the meantime, with news of more local activity, Fran Hook of 
Save Our Local Hospitals campaign (Tel: 0208853 2567) writes - We have found out that the Gynaecological Ward [ Cray Ward ] of 28 beds is being closed this coming weekend and moving to Chislehurst ward, which is a mixed sex surgical ward. the Gynaecological beds are being reduced to 10.  We do not know where these patients will be treated. There is also the issue of the Admin Staff being asked to cover admin over a 12 hours shifts over three sites, and they will have a one to one meeting with their managers.

 (clipping from Bexley Times E-edition, 30/8/12)

South London Healthcare Trust: sign the petition  

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/37287 



Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 03:36 2 comments:
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Thursday, 16 August 2012

'A future that works'

"A future that works" is the slogan of the TUC's planned national demonstration on October 20th.  

Bromley Against the Cuts is using the TUC's campaign in an attempt to reboot Bromley Trades Council and revitalise concerned residents and local trade unionists' efforts to work together in solidarity. Here are three south London public events to kick things off in the next days and weeks.

Save Our Local Hospitals planning meeting
Wednesday, August 22nd, 7pm
Sidcup Labour Club
31-33 Sidcup Hill, Sidcup
All Welcome.

SAVE OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS!
Saturday, September 15th
Greenwich & Bexley TUC march and rally
Assemble 1pm General Gordon Square Woolwich (Opposite Woolwich Arsenal Train & DLR Station and bus stops), marching to Charlton.

Lynne Chamberlain, Secretary of Greenwich & Bexley Trades Union Council writes - 
For more details or for answers to any queries please do not hesitate to contact me at Greenwich & Bexley TUC, 16 Brewery Road Plumstead London SE18 7PT, Tel: 07884080602, or email Lynne.windeatt@btinternet.com


Next public meeting organised by Bromley Against the Cuts

A FUTURE THAT WORKS?
Monday, September 24th, 7pm
HG Wells Centre
St Marks Road
Nr. Bromley South Station.
All welcome. 

Invited speakers: 
A local health union representative (tbc)
Glenn Kelly, Staff Side Secretary, Bromley Council
John McDonnell MP, Chair of Labour's Representation Committee (LRC)
plus entertainment from the Strawberry Thieves Choir
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 14:46 No comments:
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Monday, 13 August 2012

Save Our Local Hospitals

Although Bromley Cuts Concern's blog here has been offline and without new posts this month, friends and supporters have been active out there in the real world. Here is an extract from a short report by Lynne Chamberlain, Secretary of Greenwich and Bexley Trades Union Council.
 
(On Tuesday July 24th) at the Old Bexley & Sidcup Labour Party HQ around 30 representatives of all the major local pro-NHS campaigns, CLPs and supporters, including the Greenwich & Bexley TUC,  sat down to form and agree, in a spirit of unity,  a co-ordinated campaign to protect our local hospitals. The campaign willl be called Save Our Local Hospitals and this is a major step forward in the fightback that will be essential if we are to stop our local hospitals being privatised or even worse.
A committee was formed and the meeting voted unanimously to support the Greenwich & Bexley TUC Save our Hospitals march from Woolwich town centre 1pm on Saturday September 15th 2012. Agreed by the council but exact details to be defined.

In addition Greenwich & Bexley TUC activists and Bromley Against the Cuts supporters have held two Save the NHS events meetings and taken hundreds of leaflets and postcards for public distribution among local residents and shoppers since the beginning of August.

Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 12:37 No comments:
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Monday, 16 July 2012

Bromley against cuts supporters interviewed

BBC London News report local concerns about South London Health Trust here
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18823607)
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 01:56 No comments:
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Monday, 9 July 2012

                                                                                          Keep our NHS Public Greenwich 

WHY ARE OUR HOSPITALS BANKRUPT? WHAT CAN WE DO TO SAVE THEM?

PUBLIC MEETINGS
COME AND HAVE YOUR SAY

GREENWICH   Wednesday 18 July 7.30 pm
Charlton House, Charlton Village SE7

SPEAKERS
·         Dr John Lister Lecturer in Journalism, Director London Health Emergency
·         Shane Delamont, Consultant Neurologist
·         RCN and Local NHS Unions

BEXLEY  Thursday 19 July 7.30 pm
C of E Christ Church, Main Road Sidcup
on the corner Main Road Sidcup and Christchurch Road

SPEAKERS
·         Coral Jones, GP from Hackney
·         Lucy Reynolds, HealthService Researcher
·         Dave Mott, local campaigner for Orpington Hospital
·         RCN and Local NHS Unions

Both venues have disabled access, public transport and parking.


FACTS

Combined cost of the two hospitals Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich and the Princess Royal Hospital Bromley

·        Total building cost £210 million
·        Annual Payment £61 million which is over 14% of their income
·        Amount paid so far £535 million
·        Full cost will be £2½ billion.

Who IS responsible for the blatant rip off of the PFI (Private Finance Initiative) deals which have caused the bankruptcy of our hospitals?

·         NOT the people of Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley
·         NOT the NHS Staff

Who are the decision makers?

IF THEY CAN PAY OFF THE BANKERS THEY CAN PAY OFF OUR PFI DEBT.

WE THE TAX PAYERS DEMAND THAT THE GOVERNMENT

·         Stops the exploitation and profiteering of the OUR health service.
·         Pays off the PFI debt and cancels the contract WITH NO COMPENSATION.
·         No asset-stripping
·         Restore our Hospital Trust to a publicly-funded, publicly-accountable and publicly-provided NHS





For further information about Keep our NHS Public Greenwich
telephone 020 8853 2567 or email franhook@cooptel.net
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 15:12 No comments:
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Thursday, 5 July 2012

"So nasty are these Tories..."

Bromley Times July 5, 2012
Posted by Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts) at 06:00 No comments:
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Monday, 18 June 2012

Join the Lobby of Bromley Council on Monday, 25th June, 6:30pm

Bromley Cuts Concern supporters post news that Unite and other Bromley Town Hall unions are calling for a mass lobby of the Tory Council Meeting at Bromley Civic Centre, 6:30pm, Monday 25th June. They write -
Bromley Tories are proposing to rip up and ignore the long standing employment contracts & related conditions of service of 4,000 council employees by trying to pull out of Nationally agreed pay & conditions.
Not only will this lead inevitably to lower pay, pensions and more dangerous working conditions for Council staff it will also lead to vastly inferior services for local residents.
Bromley Council will be unable to attract and maintain quality and experienced staff as they will go to better and safer local authority employers in the neighbouring areas.
Not content with unnecessarily destroying essential local services for the sick, elderly.disabled and injured children, Bromley Tories want to undermine the quality and morale of local public servants and services all the more with these ideologically driven proposals.
The Tories tried to opt out like this recently in Southampton and as a result lost control of the Council in the May local elections.The Bromley Tories may have forgotten that in 1999 they lost control of the Council. to Labour /Lib Dem Coalition. No doubt the Bromley Tories if they continue like this want a rerun of that result.

Glenn Kelly, representing the trade union interests of Bromley Council staff, has written a summary of the Council's threat to staff pay and conditions. Glenn is supporting trade unions and Bromley Cuts Concern's plans for a mass lobby next Monday, June 25th. He writes -

Council threat to Withdraw
From National Terms and Conditions


Update – June 2012

Yesterday I met for talks with the Senior HR officers and the Deputy Chief Executive with regards to their proposals to take us out of the National terms and conditions and to set up Bromley Pay and conditions.

As you know the council continually say we have nothing to fear from their plans. However as more details emerge it only strengthens my reasons why we must all oppose it.

The Annual Pay award

At the moment if a pay award is awarded nationally the council is contractually bound to pay it to every worker regardless. 

Originally the council’s indicated that all it intended to do was to replace the national negotiations over pay and replace them with a decision to pay a pay award taken by the council alone. That was bad enough however it is now clear the council wish to go even further.

They are now proposing that if a pay award is agreed locally by councillors in February each year then it will be paid to all staff in April, BUT they will withhold the pay award from “underperforming staff”.

So a pay award that is supposed to deal with the increase in cost of living is now to be used as a stick to beat staff with to work harder of face having pay rises denied to them.

It is a recipe for staff to be picked on or used as an excuse to save money for a department or section particularly when mangers are under pressure to come up with another £15m to save.

If staff were “underperforming” the council already has policies and procedures it can use, ultimately it can discipline staff for poor performance. This proposal could lead to double punishment for staff.

In the meeting It was alleged that there is often a call from staff that “under performance is not being dealt with by management”, (despite the fact that I don’t believe that there is any evidence to back this up), even if this was the case then that is the fault of management in not dealing with it, not an excuse to hold back a workers pay rise. 

Currently if management believe that your performance is so poor you should be punished, they have to prove their case in a disciplinary hearing where the worker has rights of appeal and representation.
This begs the question how and by whom would a worker now be able to be punished by being refused a pay rise? The council policy document makes no reference to the process at all!

When I challenged this I was told it would be done through the “PADS” scheme. To judge the pay of a worker on what for many can be a five minute meting a year ticking boxes, if it happens at all, is not acceptable. I do not believe that the majority of staff have confidence in the PADS scheme to measure their performance. 

Performance related Pay rises - “a life sentence”

This proposal would mean that if in one year of your working life with the council you have been deemed to have “underperformed” you would end up paying for it for the rest of your working careers with the council, always earning less than your colleagues doing the same job no matter how good your work is!

This proposal alone shows that the opt out of the national terms and conditions are not in the interests of council workers and must be resisted. 


The New Bonus scheme – A Divisive Dangerous Gimmick

The council have now come forward with their bonus scheme proposals called “A scheme of discretionary non consolidated non pensionable rewards scheme for exceptional performance” or as I like to call it “jelly beans for the favoured ones”!

They are proposing to make a payment for those deemed to “delivered exceptional performance which goes well beyond the normal expectation of the role”.

However it is not to be a pay rise or a re-grading, it is in fact not even going to be paid in cash but will be a “Non cashable voucher”! This voucher will not count to your on going pay or pension. I am reliably informed that there is no truth in the rumour that it will be shares in a Greek bank!

There has been no budget set aside for this scheme.  It is suggested that this will be set each year by the council. It has not been decided whether it’s a fixed figure or to be done as a percentage of your salary. So one year it could be worth for instance five bob another £100. Either way a limited pot will either mean smaller payments made or less people get it.    

To qualify you have to deliver exceptional performance but this won’t be measured by how much “effort” you put in or “hours worked” but on the “outcomes” of your performance. 

Even if you meet this superman status you could still be denied it if your sickness level is deemed unsatisfactory, so if you end up making yourself sick working to hard, tough luck!

The reality is this sort of scheme is divisive and can act to demoralise the majority of hard working staff for pennies given to the few. For every one person given Bruce’s bonus a hundred or more won’t get it.


Bonus scheme is a risk to annual pay rises for all

There is another danger in this scheme. We are told the councillors will determine the pot of money for the pay award and the bonus scheme each February and decide how much to give to each.

Having the two schemes opens the door to the council placing more money in the bonus scheme (which is not linked to pay and is paid for one year only) as opposed to putting money into a pay award (which is part of your ongoing pay, paid every year and is pensionable).

Ask yourself at a time of massive cuts, if councillors are given the option to choose to whether to give the staff a permanent pay rise or a one off payment to some what will they want to do!

The risk is the bonus scheme could spell the end of pay rises altogether to be replaced by a non consolidated bonus scheme seeing our pay shrink further and further.   


 What next

On 25th June the full council has been forced to debate the issue by the hundreds of staff who signed the UNITE petition. At that meeting staff will get to move a resolution calling on the councillors to drop their proposals, it is vital that as many staff are at the meeting as is possible.

The council are not confident over this issue and the more pressure that can be exerted early on the better, they need to see physically that it’s not just the staff side and union officials who are complaining.

The council then intends to start its road shows to win us over, first by briefing all its managers no doubt to tell them to go out and “sell it”.

Given how the senior mangers were treated over their own pay scheme and the fact that they too will lose out under this proposal, it will be interesting to see if they take up the call to arms enthusiastically or feel like they are being asked to go and out and sell tickets for a trip on the titanic, for which their seat is already booked!     

It is interesting to note that I was informed that the council “road shows” will not be like the single status ones where staff were allowed to hear both sides of the argument in order to make their mind up. This time they are refusing to go head to head in an open debate, but will call their own meetings to which the staff side won’t be invited to put the alternative case.

If local terms and conditions are good for us what have they got to hide?

In light of this staff must make sure that meetings are called in your workplaces to hear the other side and I am happy to come and speak to any group of staff.



Glenn Kelly
Staff Side Secretary


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25TH JUNE 6.30PM
CIVIC CENTRE
BROMLEY   
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Bromley Cuts Concern (Bromley Against the Cuts)
Bromley Cuts Concern has been formed to scrutinise and, where necessary, oppose the forthcoming cuts programme to be implemented by Bromley Council. We seek to be a broad, community-based group of concerned residents, independent of any political party. We believe that the best way to cut the country’s deficit would be to clamp down on tax evasion, tighten up tax avoidance loopholes and address the appalling under-collection of taxes. Combined, these could generate up to £100 billion a year according to the New Economics Foundation. Action on tax would mainly affect those better able to pay whereas cutting public expenditure disproportionately hits the poor.
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