Wirral Leaks General Election Special – The Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Two) : #VoteNHS

Wirral Leaks proudly presents a non-party political broadcast on behalf of Defend Our NHS:

Dear friends of the NHS

No, we’re not telling you which party to vote for in the general election. We have supporters from many political parties and from none.

Our plea to you is to #VoteNHS. We assume that if you read these emails or follow our Facebook page you know enough to vote the right way to defend our NHS.

But we are asking you to help with the campaign to encourage other people to #VoteNHS.

The NHS has rightly dominated the election news. You have heard all the arguments;  no doubt when it comes to our health service you have made up your minds about which politicians are telling the truth and which are not.

Our appeal to you is to tell your friends, neighbours, family and colleagues just how important it is for everybody to #VoteNHS.

Defend Our NHS : An invitation to an important meeting TODAY

Prior to our final tour of the highways (!) and byways of Wirral political life we have an important message from our friends at Defend Our NHS:

Dear friends of the NHS

We urge supporters who are patients of Wirral GPs to respond to the email address in the letter below* and to attend this vital meeting. Please try to arrive at around 5:30pm to join in leafleting.

Wednesday 30th October 2019 at 6:00pm at Wallasey Town Hall.

I would be appreciative if you could confirm your attendance with my colleague Alex Davidson, Scrutiny Officer on 0151 691 8381 or alternatively, by email to* alexandradavidson@wirral.gov.uk. If you would like to discuss this in more detail, or require further information, Alex will be happy to assist.

Now please read on.

The letter (from Wirral councillor Moira McLaughlin, who is chair of the Adult Care and Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee) has gone to local GP patient participation groups.

The original text is in italics and we have added some comments.

Wirral Council’s Adult Care and Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee is responsible for reviewing and scrutinising the commissioning, management and performance of health and social care services on Wirral.

[We have criticised the behaviour of this committee and have written to all Wirral councillors to say so. You will remember that in December last year 45,000 residents said ‘no’ to closures or reductions in walk-in services. This is also the declared policy of the Labour Party nationally AND of Wirral Council – yet a majority of councillors chose to support the plans of the clinical commissioning group.]

Later this month, the Committee are holding a workshop for Elected Members to consider Wirral Health and Care Commissioning’s future plans for integrated health and social care services on Wirral.

[We oppose the whole notion of ‘integrated care’ as currently designed. As we have said repeatedly over many years it is all part of the grand plan to slash, trash and privatise the NHS. It is a disgrace that councillors – including from a party which has set its face against these changes – should go along with them.]

As you may be aware, Wirral CCG and Wirral Council have pooled funds and resources in order to provide a seamless provision of care for those requiring intermediate care and those with complex disabilities that require packages of care from both health and social care every day.

[We oppose pooled budgets – the subsidising of private social care from the public NHS purse. Although councillors will argue that they had no choice except to go along with it, they did. They were kept in the dark about a report from PWC which said, “The introduction of an integrated commissioner with a single pool of funds will facilitate the introduction of a wider Accountable Care System / Accountable Care Organisation across the Wirral. Without the ability for Commissioners to ultimately let a single contract for services through the ICH, the ability to move to an ACS would be impaired due to complexity which multiple contracts, budgets and accountabilities would bring.” In other words they supported a change to something they had vowed to oppose.**]

For this reason, I would like to invite a representative(s) from your patient participation group to attend this workshop to provide a brief statement on patient experiences of health and social care services, and to take part in further discussion with Members.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday 30th October 2019 at 6.00pm at Wallasey Town Hall.

I would be appreciative if you could confirm your attendance with my colleague Alex Davidson, Scrutiny Officer on 0151 691 8381 or alternatively, by email to* alexandradavidson@wirral.gov.uk . If you would like to discuss this in more detail, or require further information, Alex will be happy to assist.

Please attend and give the councillors YOUR patient experience.

More background at http://999callfornhs.org.uk/

Best wishes on behalf of Defend Our NHS

 

** PWC (who were paid £40k for their work) also noted the following. The report was kept SECRET from councillors who were supposed to be scrutinising the changes. It was full of bomb shells.

Both the Council and the CCG (together ‘the Commissioners’) would like to extend their current pooled budget arrangements to incorporate the majority of the total health and social care funding within the health economy. The services that fall under the scope of these new pooled arrangements will be formally commissioned by the Integrated Commissioning Hub (ICH)

The ICH would begin with a financial deficit, with funding insufficient to meet the required expenditure, prior to any additional budget pressures being experienced from 2018/19 onwards.

Additional contingency/deficit funding would be required to be repaid in 2018/19.

Savings plans are still under discussion with community trust to identify and deliver further savings

Pooled budget is underfunded, likely to result in a deficit for the ICH.

Without significant intervention cumulative deficit likely to increase annually as prior-year demand is unmet.

Defend Our NHS : Annual General Meeting 5th September…and more

 

Dear friends of the NHS

®    A reminder that our annual general meeting is next Thursday 5^th September   starting at 7:00pm in Birkenhead Town Hall. As promised the annual report (for approval at the meeting) is attached. After what is usually a fairly short formal session we’ll have a chance to discuss any pressing issues and then to gather informally in the nearby Gallagher’s pub.

®    The following day (Friday 6^th September)  some of us will be joining campaigners from all over the country in London to hand a petition to the Secretary of State, to hold a silent protest and then a rally in Trafalgar Square. Click here for details.

®    Also on 6^th  October we’ll be welcoming James Corbett after his epic march from Glasgow to London to save the NHS. James is presenting his petition the previous day. Click here for details and see this article.

®    There’s an excellent simple leaflet attached for sharing.

®    And now for something completely different… Thursday 3^rd October is National Poetry Day. You and friends are very welcome to an ‘open mic’ evening of poetry and music. Anyone can turn up and perform. The venue (in Birkenhead) will be announced soon.

®    Be as creative as you like. (National Poetry Day 2019 has set the theme – TRUTH. WE are calling all campaigners and friends who enjoy the arts to use this day to deliver just that – TRUTH! As well as joining us you can leave a poem on a lamp post, in the supermarket, on the bus or train. Spontaneous pop-up busking poetry spots in shopping centres and on the High Street. Open mic events, poetic letters to the local paper.)

Best wishes on behalf of Defend Our NHS

Defend Our NHS: FOUR important notices (A, B, C, D).

As ever we’re proud to support Defend Our NHS (who are leafleting  in Moreton TOMORROW- see below) and particularly keen to call out (no pun intended) the local and international trash that are making decisions about OUR NHS. 

Dear friends of the NHS

A:

This is to give notice of the Defend Our NHS Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2019 on Thursday 5th September from 7.00pm at Birkenhead Town Hall, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, CH41 5BR.

All supporters are invited. The agenda is below. The papers for the event will be emailed to you later this week and will also be available on our Facebook page. Paper copies of these will NOT be available at the meeting. Please bring them in electronic form or print at home.

The AGM agenda is:

1. Defend Our NHS (DONHS): annual report introduced by the Chair + vote to approve
2. Financial position: report from the Treasurer + vote to approve
3. Changes to the constitution: report from the Secretary + vote to approve
4.    Election of officers: nominations received + vote to elect

Nominations are invited for eight ‘officer’ posts. These are vital roles with active responsibilities to continue and develop the work of Defend Our NHS. Only individuals willing to accept the responsibilities detailed in the constitution should consider nomination. Nominations must be received (by email only to this address) by a week on Thursday (22^nd August). All nominees and those voting must be listed on our database and must support the aims of DONHS.

• Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• External relations officer
• Two research and policy officers
• Media officer
• Events coordinator

If there are insufficient nominations those who are elected will continue to act with other volunteers and will fill any posts after the meeting by invitation. This can be ratified by the next general meeting as allowed by the constitution

B:

The short AGM will be followed by an opportunity to meet socially in the nearby Gallagher’s pub.

C:

We will be leafleting next SATURDAY 17^th August (when no storms are forecast!) in a new venue: outside the Coach and Horses pub in the centre of Moreton from 11:00am to 13:00h. Come and meet fellow NHS supporters.

D:

Moreton is one of the walk-in centres which Wirral CCG plans to close. Our new leaflet about this is attached with another detailing the existing and growing American threats to our NHS in Wirral. Please distribute these to your contacts.

Thanks and best wishes on behalf of Defend Our NHS

https://www.facebook.com/groups/defendournhs/

Defend Our NHS : public meeting, film show and discussion TOMORROW 30th July

Dear friends of the NHS

Two announcements:

1. A reminder of next Tuesday’s (30^th July) public meeting, film show and discussion in Birkenhead Town Hall. See the flyer below. PLEASE SHARE and make every attempt to be there. The film will start promptly at 7:00pm. A collection will be taken.
2. Following a shocking decision on our walk-in services last night by a Wirral Council committee we invite you to an emergency gathering in the nearby Stork Hotel immediately after the film show ends. A brief discussion will include agreement on further imminent urgent action.

Best wishes on behalf of Defend Our NHS

 

DON’T WALK ON BY – Defend Our NHS: Wirral walk-in centre scandal

Here’s the latest from our friends at Defend Our NHS. Misleading local press reports?   You don’t say!

 

Dear friends of the NHS

We have some very bad news.

Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group board members (CCG) have decided to CLOSE two local walk-in centres.

They have ignored the protests of:

• 45,000 petitioners;
• Over 60% of the two thousand detailed responses to their ‘consultation’; AND
• The unanimous decision of Wirral & Cheshire West and Chester Joint Health Scrutiny Committee (made up of councillors from Labour and Conservative parties, representing Wirral and Cheshire West and Chester councils)

What was billed as a meeting of the Joint Strategic Commissioning Board on 9th July was turned into a meeting of the CCG Board and they approved their own plan unanimously*.

Sadly they were supported by some GPs (including one who at least declared an interest as his practice would benefit from the change). And shockingly by a councillor who had previously written to DONHS to say, “The community consultation the CCG delivered on the urgent care review proposals showed unequivocally strong opposition to any closure of walk in centres. I stand by the wishes of Wirral residents and council and will oppose any closure of services”.

What now? We must renew our efforts to educate and inform (and if necessary expose) Wirral councillors. Of ALL parties. All opposed the plans, all say they love the NHS, and we doubt that very few of them are aware of the source of the deeply ideological changes to our NHS (in Minneapolis!) of which this is just part.

What can you do?

1. Please write to Wirral and Cheshire West councillors asking them to support a ‘reference back’ of the decision to the Secretary of State for Health.
2. Attend our next public meeting. It’s on TUESDAY 30th July at 7.00pm at a venue to be confirmed. Tell your friends and neighbours about this.
3. Consider becoming more involved in NHS campaigning. Our AGM is in September and we would welcome new enthusiasts onto the DONHS executive committee. Details will follow soon.

See our Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/defendournhs/

Best wishes on behalf of Defend Our NHS

* The story this week in the Wirral Globe and Liverpool Echo about the protest is misleading in several serious ways. 45,000 people (not 30,000 as they report) and the overwhelming majority of those who sent detailed responses to the CCG consultation protested against ANY closures. And it is important to note that, while DONHS has serious concerns about the behaviour of some councillors, the vote to close the centres had nothing to do with councillors; it was a decision of Wirral CCG and was opposed UNANIMOUSLY by Wirral and Cheshire West Councils…

WALK ON BY – Defend Our NHS: 45,000 people or a committee?

In all of the recent local press coverage about the proposed closure of Wirral’s NHS Walk–In Centres  it seemed to us it was a case of mutual arse-kissing with Frank Field/Abhi Mantegni/Wirral Globe thanking each other for saving us all from the bleeding obvious decision that closing local NHS Walk-In Centres makes no sense whatsoever – economically or politically.

Meanwhile our unrelenting friends at Defend Our NHS were dismissed and unnamed in these reports as ‘campaigners’.

So let’s give these true defenders their due and support their efforts to save us from a fate worse than a total fuck up.

 

Defend Our NHS: Trump, Wirral and scandalous behaviour

Following on from our last post and continuing our support to keep public services out of private hands we bring you the latest missive from Defend Our NHS. We’d also like to give you the heads up on a new website launched next week by the NHS Support Federation  NHS for sale

Dear friends of the NHS

First, Mr Trump and his view that OUR health service has to be part of any trade deal with the USA. Well, of course we oppose that completely. But for British government ministers to bluster that it will never happen ‘on my watch’ is total hypocrisy. Parts of our NHS – nationally and HERE in Wirral – are already controlled by American corporations. A former boss of United Health of Minneapolis is the head of NHS England. 

We have warned about this since we were formed over eight years ago; other campaigners have been sounding the alarm for a lot longer*. Our Facebook page lists American outfits active in Wirral.

PLEASE read and share these articles which explain what has been going on and what’s behind it.

USA healthcare is already here!

The NHS is already on the table. But here’s exactly how Trump wants to sharpen the knives.

And watch this succinct and heartfelt video explanation by our friend Steve Carne and which refers to the first link above. 

Second, Wirral, and our alert about meetings to decide the fate of our walk-in centres. These were a joint scrutiny committee of Wirral Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council on Tuesday 18th June at 6.00pm in Wallasey Town Hall and a joint strategic board meeting (i.e. Wirral Council and Wirral CCG) on Tuesday 9th July in Birkenhead Town Hall. (The meeting starts at 2.00pm and we will meet outside the Town Hall from 1.00pm.)

18^th June? Imagine our shock when we learned that Cllr Moira McLaughlin has CANCELLED the meeting, writing (in her words) “Cllr Gilchrist has been made aware that members of the public believe that a meeting has been arranged with Cheshire West and Chester Scrutiny cttee to look at the implications for both authorities of the Urgent Care review which was examined in detail by the Wirral Adult Scrutiny cttee during the last municipal year…. I have asked that the provisional notice of a joint meeting on the 18^th June be removed from the Council calendar” 

(Please see our Facebook page for the full text of three emails to colleagues from Cllr McLaughlin which clarify her position)

 

Can you understand why Wirral (and Cheshire) Council would give up this opportunity to scrutinise this hugely important issue? We can’t. Please ask your own councillors to investigate and intervene. They are either for our NHS… or not. What are they trying to hide?

9^th July? Thus is even more shocking. We are now told that the vote at the Joint Strategic Board meeting will be just by members of the CCG board and not by the representatives of the Council. JOINT?!!! Wirral Council has pooled budgets and agreed to joint decision-making on health issues and is now surrendering all its powers to the local branch of NHS England.

The CCG could vandalise our walk-in and urgent care provision against the wishes of FORTY-FIVE THOUSAND people and the vast majority responding to their ‘consultation’.

A date which will live in infamy? Don’t let them get away with it. PLEASE contact your councillors now to protest against this arrogant behaviour. It cannot be allowed. There’s even more reason to gather on Tuesday 9th July from 1.00pm outside and inside Birkenhead Town Hall.

Best wishes on behalf of Defend Our NHS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

 * To prove this is not new, try to answer this quiz:

What date is this conversation in the House of Commons? And who answered the question?

Q: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the agreement between his Department and the United Healthcare Group?

A: The government is committed to encouraging expressions of interest from successful international organisations to partner Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in developing and testing models of integrated care in the national health service. In line with this commitment, the Department is in discussion with United Healthcare Group with a view to entering into a contractual relationship with them to provide hands-on support to a number of PCTs to test elements of United Healthcare Group’s Evercare model in this country and tailor it to the needs of the NHS. Under the Evercare model, doctors and nurses in primary care work together with care staff to identify vulnerable individuals at highest risk of hospitalisation. This allows for early intervention and treatment, thus avoiding inappropriate hospital admission, and facilitating safe, early discharge where a stay in hospital is necessary. The work will be carried out under the national primary and care trust development programme to promote significant transformational change.

 

Election Anticipation Part 1

OK gang are you all set for tomorrow’s local elections? We have a slew of last minute election news for you. It’s been a bumper time for us – but then it always is at this point in the political cycle. Sometimes we know when we’re being played and sometimes we play along and sometimes we don’t  but a cause we’re always happy to support is Defend Our NHS . We’ve been asked about prospective councillors who also support the cause – answers below:

1. Wirral! The fight to #DefendourNHS continues! In the absence of a meaningful response to the 32000 residents who demanded the protection of our walk-in provision we are restarting the campaign.
   Watch for more information but meanwhile SIGN and SHARE the petition!
2. Wirral! If you want to #VoteNHS in the local council elections on Thursday we can help you decide who to vote for. Ten candidates turned up to our hustings last week. Others sent apologies and a total of twenty-six sent answers to our questions about their stance on the NHS. (All ninety candidates were offered this opportunity but as you’ll see sixty-four did not reply.) You can find out who responded and what they said here.  
3. Wirral!  Everyone! If you value your GP service then please note this urgent campaign to STOP PRIMARY CARE NETWORKS / SAVE OUR GP PRACTICES. GPs are being pressured into signing up to these new networks by MAY 15TH. Please watch this short film, and do all you can to tell your GP and fellow patients about the dangers they face.
4. Everyone! Why the NHS long-term plan is a #longtermscam

Best wishes on behalf of Defend Our NHS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4wQ577Me30

Wirral Council Candidates Defending Our NHS

The picture above represents a very big reason why campaigners are looking forward to new faces amongst Wirral councillors. The upper circle shows the logos of private NHS contractors given contracts since 2012. The lower circle shows the logos of AMERICAN corporations operating in the NHS in Wirral. The linked quotations speak for themselves. This is very much part of departing Wirral Council ‘leader’ Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’s appalling legacy which we will be shortly exploring in full. He may soon be gone but will not be forgotten.

Meanwhile ten of the ninety candidates in next week’s local elections (Green, Red,Yellow but no Blue – see photo below) turned up at a Defend Our NHS hustings last Thursday and pledged total support to reverse the damage done to local health services by the unholy alliance of Wirral Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group. A total of twenty-six sent messages of support and/or explaining their position when it comes to voting on health issues.

Onwards to 2^nd May! But before then it’s your chance to play  ‘Name That Candidate!’ . We’ll start you off by giving you some clues – to the left there’s a former Lib Dem councillor, to the, er, right is a controversial Labour candidate for Rock Ferry and somewhere in the middle is another Labour candidate with the surname ‘Davies’ .  However, whoever they are, we anticipate that some will become more familiar than others over the coming months and years. Let’s just hope their support for the NHS is sustained long after the polls have closed…