Monthly Archives: January 2017

Shropshire’s NHS ends 2016 in deep trouble – but in better shape than it would be without the Defend Our NHS campaign.

It’s been an extraordinary year, with the scale of the attacks on the NHS becoming increasingly clear – but also with mounting evidence of ordinary people in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin being willing to stand firm and defend the healthcare we all depend on.

In Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Defend Our NHS, we reckon we’ve achieved a great deal in the last 12 months. We stopped ‘temporary’ A&E closure last winter, and overnight A&E closure in the spring. We forced the re-opening of Stroke Rehab at Shrewsbury, following the disgraceful unannounced closure of the service in June. We stopped the £670,000 cuts planned by Shropshire CCG in August, preventing savage cuts to services for people with mental health problems, and services for frail elderly people. In October, we organised the tremendous demonstration in Wellington against closure of A&E and Women’s and Children’s at the Princess Royal. And very, very importantly indeed, we’ve reduced the Future Fit cuts and closure plans to chaos. Currently we’re working alongside local groups to defend rural maternity services against shockingly brutal attacks, with some real victories behind us already. We believe we’ve saved lives this year, and we’re very proud of that.

Next year, though, will be even tougher as the NHS financial crisis deepens. We’re set to see the biggest cuts in the history of the NHS. In 2017, we’ll face the fight of our lives to stop the dismantling of local services.

We need your help. We need to build a network of campaigners in every town and village. We need people who can help organise petitioning and leafleting, lobby our MPs and councillors, write letters to local papers, talk to their neighbours, come to consultation events and argue the case for both our A&Es and hospitals and for the funding to make it happen… If you think you can take on a bit more of a role, please send a quick email to info@shropshiredefendournhs.org . Our NHS may depend on you! Continue reading →