healthcoalition+-+minutes+-+March+15th+2010

__________**__Report of DHHS meeting, March 15th - at Hornsey Central Neighbourhood Centre.__**__________

The room had to be vacated at 9pm.
 * Attendance**: Dave Morris (Haringey Fed’n of Residents Associations), Janet Shapiro (Better Local Healthcare Campaign), Zozi Goodman (Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition), Colin Leys (BLHC), Rina Silverman, Steve Ballard, Mario Petrou (Save St Ann’s Hospital Campaign Group), Chris Havell resident, Joan Michelson, resident. **Apols:** Linda Lennard (BLHC), Anne Gray (Green Party)
 * 1) **Introductions:** Everyone introduced themselves and the organisation (if any) they were representing. We had two new members, Rina & Joan, and welcomed Zozi from DWHC.
 * 2) Minutes of last meeting were agreed. These had been circulated
 * 3) We decided to use the minutes of the meeting as agenda, plus other announcements as AOB
 * 4) **Feb 27th march and rally**. The organisers were congratulated on a very successful event. Zozi Goodman reported. Holloway Road was packed with marchers as some photos reveal, estimated 5,000 came. Photos are on Whittington web-site and DHHS site will have one. The arrangements for the speeches were difficult as time was restricted on police orders (one hour). This meant speeches started as noisy marchers still coming into Magdala Ave. (with bands). Much competition from various parties to be at head of march and to speak, but speakers did observe the strict time restriction (3 mins). Sue Hessel spoke for Haringey Residents’ groups and DHHS; there was a speaker for Highgate Society. David Lammy spoke and unions were very well represented. Unfortunately Jeremy Corbyn spoke last when the crowd was thinning.
 * 5) **DWHC Campaigning meeting** Monday 22nd March. DHHS members encouraged to go.
 * 6) **Overview & Scrutiny Committees** Mario reported answers from Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to his questions on what surveys had been done on use of Whittington A&E. Mario was asked to circulate these questions and replies. Zozi reported that Islington OSC would meet 29th March and Rachel Tyndall would be present for questioning.
 * 7) **Report back on Public Meeting at Hornsey called by Lynne Featherstone MP:** DHHS activists met up before the meeting to co-ordinate our contribution. We handed out DWHC and DHHS leaflets to all attending, and many signed up for our updates. On platform, Richard Gorrie chaired, Richard Sumray and Rachel Tyndall made presentations. It was a packed meeting (over 350 people) with many informed questioners and contributions from the floor: Dave Morris was invited to speak first for DWHC and DHHS, then many others including Whittington consultants Jacky Davis & Ben Timmis (Radiologist) & many residents. Not one person present supported the proposals! Sue Secher, for the DHHS, demanded to know that the A&E closure proposals would be scrapped if consultation showed overwhelming opposition – Richard Sumray was strongly heckled when he refused to give a straight answer. //(Update - Lynne Featherstone has produced a report of the meeting.)// **Further work**: From the speech given by Richard Sumray, it appears that we must look out for how ‘polysystems’ affect patients’ services, as the highly controversial relocation of surgeries into Polyclinics seems to have largely slowed to a halt. We have only 3 polyclinics so far: HCNC, The Laurels, Lordship Lane Clinic.  **More information is needed.**
 * 8) **Report back from afternoon meeting organised by Haringey LINk.** About 30 residents attended, and DHHS leaflets were handed out. The speaker was another medical director, Richard Jennings, replacing Celia Ingham-Clark. Richard Jennings gave useful information but the policy expressed seemed to be in line with official NHS London policy. Paul Knight reported on Personalisation of Adult Care Services. There was a well-informed attendance and challenging questions.
 * 9) **Liaison with Unison staff at N Middx hospital.** We still hope to make contact. There have been some developments for the ‘Walk in Centre’ (re-integrating it into the A&E) that should favour staff working conditions. We need to build trust with the staff. **Steve Ballard and Alan Woodwood will attempt to make contact with N Middx union workers.**
 * 10) Reference to **OFSTED** report on Haringey children’s services is needed to check whether health visitor cuts as reported to the OSC are as severe and potentially damaging as we had feared. **Janet reminded to follow up.**
 * 11) **DHHS Letter to GPs.** Anne Gray has prepared this, now we need to organise how these are circulated to GPs. The BMA has launched a campaign: //Look After Our NHS//, [] . It could be that we could get leaflets to accompany our letters to GPs. **Anne and Janet to liaise.** Note that NHS Support Federation has prepared a template letter for residents to send to parliamentary candidates, seeking a pledge to oppose and reverse commercialisation of the NHS.
 * 12) **National Rally and March for Public Services on April 10th.** It is important to get campaigners out on that demo. []
 * 13) **Elections** MH&HFOE, HICAN and MH&HPAG are organising a local **Hustings** on April 26th. The issues are likely to be Environment and Public Services. Sue Hessel (HFRA) has submitted a letter to local papers urging candidates to assure unambiguous intention to retain services at Whittington Hospital. HFRA have produced an open letter listing demands to be made to contestants in forthcoming elections and throughout the coming months and years, plus plan to send a comprehensive Questionnaire to all candidates. http://hfra.wikispaces.com/Other+issues+-+2010+elections
 * 14) **Web-site**. The meeting confirmed that this was very good and should be kept up. Steve Ballard agreed to put up contributions.
 * 15) **Haringey Unison Branch AGM** - has a motion to propose affiliation to our campaign.  **Update** – passed!
 * 16) **Date of next meeting** is 12th April 7.30pm subject to availability.
 * 17) **AOB** A request was made to raise the imposition of a plethora of surveillance cameras, but time had run out.