Stroud residents protest outside their hospital

I only heard today about the demonstration outside Stroud Hospital against the proposed changes to NHS services in the town. I arrived to find probably a hundred people who met at lunchtime to try to oppose even more cuts affecting our town.

Yesterday's local paper the Stroud News and Journal wrote this here:
'Action group Stroud Against The Cuts claims plans for a social enterprise to take over the running of Stroud General Hospital is a 'step towards privatisation'.

The protest takes place on the day the South West Strategic Health Authority meets to approve plans for all services provided by Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust to leave the NHS in October.'

We all think what is being proposed is outrageous. Our Mayor, John Marjoram, who is also a town councillor, announced he will be calling for a public meeting as soon as possible. 'The stark reality is that if Stroud General Hospital becomes a social enterprise then all our dedicated nursing staff will no longer be working for the NHS,' he said. 'As the social enterprise contract only last for three years then it becomes very vulnerable to a commercial healthcare takeover.

'If we do not stand up to these developments then we will be going down the USA route of money dictates if you are treated or not.'

Our MP wasn't present, but our former member of parliament, David Drew, spoke about the systematic destruction of public services. Already the County council is being called to answer in the Courts for their decisions to cut county-wide Library services, which have made the national news agenda.

Penny Harris, chief executive designate of the social enterprise Gloucestershire Care Services Community Interest Company (CIC), said: 'I would like to reassure local people that NHS patients will continue to access NHS funded community health services at Stroud General Hospital and the new social enterprise will be responsible for continuing to deliver these NHS services locally.'

This doesn't impress the local residents. It is going to be a summer of active resistance to a wide range of Cuts, which are only just beginning. What I fear is a progressive move towards an american-style private health service, which I think will be a business first, with the health of the public trailing in last.

I am angry, so there will likely be more blips on this in due course. Your area may be next. Get active before it is too late.


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