Public+services+-+health+services+-+local+campaigns+-+protest+28.11.07

**Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition**
= = =**Campaigners protest against the PCT’s controversial ‘polyclinics’ proposals which threaten to close local GPs surgeries and chemists**=

On Wednesday 28th November 40 protestors turned up to lobby the Board Meeting of the Haringey Primary Care Trust (held at St Ann’s Hospital) to protest against the PCT’s ‘polyclinics’ proposals which would threaten the existence of local GP surgeries and local chemists. The controversial proposal is for 4 such clinics in Haringey (plus one at the Whittington and one at the North Middx hospital), each serving over 50,000 patients. Those present at the protest included representatives of older people’s organisations, patients’ groups, residents associations, health campaigns and trades unions.

Dave Morris, the **Secretary of the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition**, made a brief presentation to the Board saying that the Coalition had been opposing //‘a wide range of government-driven cuts in Haringey’s health services over the last 2 years’//. GP surgeries were the //‘cornerstone’// of the NHS in our communities and it was //‘shocking and unacceptable’// that they were being put under threat by the latest PCT proposals for Super Health Clinics. No-one wanted this. //‘Any clinics must be additional to existing services’// he said. He called on the PCT Board //‘to join campaigners in demanding more resources from Central Government for the front-line services our communities need.’// A full statement from the SHHCC (see below) was distributed to all members of the public and Board members present.

Mario Petrou, the **Chair of the Save St Ann’s Hospital Campaign Group**, made a detailed presentation explaining how the PCT’s consultation over their proposals for polyclinics was //‘deeply flawed and fraudulent – people have not been told the truth about the threat to local GPs and pharmacist practices’.// He read out an extract from a PCT report which had not been circulated, which stated: //‘__we envisage there will be a network of Super Health Centres and potentially a greatly reduced number of general practices.__’// He accused the PCT of //‘cronyism’// in choosing members of their own Board to do an ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ which played down the effect of the unpopular proposals, and also in alleging support for their proposals from a couple of sources close to the PCT. In contrast, he explained how his group had organised 2 successful public meetings involving over 80 people – those attending were totally opposed to the proposals. (More details of the SSAHCG’s views are enclosed below).

The results of the PCT’s ‘consultation’ were contained in the Board papers. The PCT claimed over 8500 (some reports say 15,000) consultation documents were circulated, but admitted they had received only 120 replies. Even though the consultation documents failed to outline the truth of the threat to GPs, most of those responding had concerns about the proposal. Despite these results, and the presentations made at the meeting, the Board decided to ignore public opposition and to press ahead with the Super Health Clinics proposals, with a decision expected in January.

Campaigners present called for a lobby of the special Council Overview & Scrutiny meeting on Monday 3rd December at the Civic Centre (6.30pm). They will be demanding that the Cttee exercise their powers and therefore their duty to condemn the PCT’s consultation tactics, to object to the threat to local services and to refer the proposals to the Secretary of State as unacceptable.


 * Monday 3****rd** **December, 6.30pm -** Lobby Council's Scrutiny Committee, Civic Centre
 * Monday 10****th** **December, 6.30pm -** SHHC Coalition planning meeting, Chestnuts Community Centre

__**//Statement from the Save St. Ann’s Hospital Campaign Group//** //PO Box 45129, N15 3XF, Tel. 8352 1020//__

 * HARINGEY’S CHEMISTS AND GP SURGERIES UNDER THREAT OF CLOSURE** The body responsible for providing all NHS services in Haringey, the Primary Care Trust, is proposing, but not so explicitly, 4 PFI super health centres/polyclinics to replace our GP surgeries and chemists. It is claimed by the PCT that each super health centre/polyclinic, offers a broad range of services for up to 50,000 people and opens for longer hours. However, serious public concerns about access, health inequalities, impersonal services and long-term costs of PFI schemes, remain unanswered.

It is lunacy to replace our GP surgeries and chemists, which do provide care in the community, for unreliable promises about unproven super health centres/polyclinics. The Save St. Ann’s Hospital Campaign Group believes super health centres/polyclinics have some merit if used in conjunction with all Haringey’s existing health services - like the GP surgeries and chemists, but also the promised, but yet to be delivered, Haringey hospital at St. Ann’s and care beds for the elderly and other services at Hornsey Central, not __instead__ of them.

We also believe that additional staff should be taken on to run them - not taken away from existing surgeries and chemists, that they should not be built by Private Finance Initiative funding, and that GPs and chemists should have access to low-interest loans to improve their services,

__**//Statement from the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition//**__
In the last 2 years local campaigners and groups involved in the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition - healthcare organisations, residents groups, trades unions and political parties - have challenged the Haringey Primary Care Trust on its continuing cuts, moves towards privatisation and inadequate consultation process. We have lobbied, held public meetings, organised petitions, pickets and local protests, distributed tens of thousands of leaflets, made presentations to and held meetings with health providers and the Council. This has succeeded in exposing the truth about proposals and threats to the borough's health services, encouraged opposition, and made health services into probably the number one public controversy. We have opposed a string of closures of facilities and cuts in services and staffing levels. There have been some successes along the way, but the PCT has continued to follow the government-driven agenda of cuts and moves towards privatisation. The latest threat - to our local GP surgeries - is outlined below.


 * //New threat to local GP surgeries//** The beginning of November saw the end of an official consultation period over new controversial plans from the Primary Care Trust for the future of GP surgeries - the cornerstone of local public health care in our neighbourhoods. The PCT proposes to group GP services into six big 'polyclincs' (only 4 of which would be in Haringey), which will also have some services decentralised from hospitals. The Trust has held several public meetings and offered questionnaires to the public to get feedback about its plans. The public is overwhelmingly opposed to any loss of local surgeries and services.

And who would run these super clinics has always been something of a mystery. They may apparently be set up with private sector finance, risking the huge cost over-runs which have plagued PFI hospitals and taken money away from patients and medical staff to give to contractors and their shareholders.

Now the government has made a national announcement publishing a list of 14 companies that it wants to see take over the role of 'commissioning', or buying healthcare for NHS patients. These companies would gain control over which treatments patients receive and who provides them. Haringey Health campaigners are opposed to any role such companies could have in the local Primary Care Trust and our healthcare services, including the polyclinics proposals. The 14 companies include three American health industry giants - Humana, Aetna and United Health. These corporations are heavily criticised in Michael Moore's 'Sicko' - a shocking but gripping documentary about US health care (or the lack of it).


 * //Consultation about polyclinics ignored key questions//** Although the Primary Care Trust's consultation was mainly about where patients really want their treatments provided, the other big questions are about __what__ service they will get. Is the NHS going to be privatised by the back door? When and how will Haringey get a proper Accident and Emergency Service within the borough's boundaries? How is the Trust going to make sure Haringey gets enough doctors to cope with a growing and none too healthy population? The consultation has now ended but most of the big questions are still unanswered.


 * //Stop the cuts, closures and privatisation//** The Government is forcing the NHS to make cuts in patient services and staffing across the UK, including £15-20m of cuts in Haringey over the last 2 years. This hits many of the most vulnerable in our communities: **Hospitals:** __Hornsey__: being rebuilt, but some land sold off, some nearby facilities closed, threat of privatisation of some services __North Mid__: cuts in wards, Private Finance borrowing and debts __St Ann’s__: facing uncertainty, run down of services, and loss of land.
 * Clinics:** Fortis Green sold. Others facing cuts in services **Services:** Cuts in family planning, elderly support, & mental health. **Staffing:** Cuts in jobs, de-skilling, and increased workloads. **Doctors and dentists:** Oversubscribed, and some going private. Local GPs under threat from proposed new ‘polyclinics’.


 * //Say NO! We demand improvements, not cuts!//** There have been a series of anti-cuts protests by residents and health workers - lobbies, rallies, petitions, a local march, public meetings, and tens of thousands of leaflets distributed. As a result the cuts have become a public controversy, some services have been saved or relocated, and some cuts postponed. The NHS belongs to us! It is a public service, set up to provide good quality and free health care to everyone, throughout our lives. But we need to step up the public pressure on the NHS and the Government to provide the funds for the local services we need in our neighbourhoods.

The Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition are an alliance of local organisations determined to stop health cuts.

SAVE OUR HOSPITALS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES * IMPROVE SERVICES INSTEAD OF RUNNING THEM DOWN**
 * NO NHS CUTS IN HARINGEY * KEEP NHS SERVICES PUBLIC

//SHHCC: Union Office, St Ann’s Hospital, N15// //SHHCC secretary: Dave Morris  tel 8211 0916// //SHHCC chair : Keith Flett  tel 07803 167266//