Following the successful campaign to save the Whittington Hospital A&E from Labour Government cuts in 2010, our local hospital is once again under threat.
The so-called ‘austerity’ agenda of the Con-Dem government means that the Whittington Hospital faces cuts calculated by the Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition (DWHC) at a total of £13 million up to 2014, and £1.9 million this year. Already, 120 jobs are to be lost – including those of medical records staff, clinical care co-ordinators, appointments staff and admissions staff. Meanwhile, hospital management are paying £1 million over two years to a private contractor, ‘Unipart’, to manage the cuts programme. This is a waste of public money which should have been spent on keeping the NHS staff whose jobs are being axed.
Other worrying changes are already evident: the number of so-called ‘low priority’ treatments (non-emergency surgery including women’s health, hip replacements and tonsillectomies) has already been radically reduced; and a number of services such as care for the elderly, diabetes and audiology have been moved out of the hospital.
Local residents need these services. Our NHS should stay public and should be run for the public benefit rather than to line the pockets of private contractors. The creeping privatisation introduced by Labour is gathering momentum under this Government. We will join local residents in fighting it.
To get involved, please contact us or visit the Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition (DWHC) homepage. Residents with concerns about cuts or privatisation at the Whittington can also share their experiences by emailing the DWHC’s Whitt Watch campaign.
