On Wednesday, 13th July 2016, immediately after Prime Minister’s Questions around 12.30 p.m, Margaret Greenwood, MP for Wirral West, will try to table the NHS Reinstatement Bill as a cross-party Ten Minute Rule Bill
She will have 10 minutes to speak in favour of the Bill, one other MP can speak for 10 minutes against it, and then it will be put to the vote. If the vote is won, it will go forward for a second reading. It will be behind many other Bills and so will not become law in this session of Parliament – but it will help in building support outside Parliament and in keeping the pressure on MPs.
The privatisation of the NHS in England will continue until we have a law to stop it, so please ask your MP for them attend the debate and to support the Bill.
NB: If your MP doesn’t to support this Bill on the usual grounds that the 2014 Commonwealth Fund found that the NHS was the most effective and efficient health service in the world – that data is almost all from before the stealth-privatising 2012 Health and Social Care Act took effect in 2013.
NHS cuts, privatisation and fragmentation continue. New legislation is needed to stop and reverse the damage
These cuts and changes are being carried out across England under Simon Stevens’ 5 Year Forward View. Where they are further advanced, they are bringing disaster in their wake.
The NHS in England is being dismantled. Only a change to the law can stop the damage.
Now more than ever.
To reverse the damage, the NHS must be reinstated in a civilised form that restores it to full public ownership, management and funding, with a duty on the Secretary of State to provide a comprehensive, universal health service that is free at the point of need and based on patients’ clinical needs.
The BMA reiterates its overwhelming support for the Bill
On Thursday 23rd June 2016, the British Medical Association voted overwhelmingly to continue supporting the Bill. You can watch the debate at its Annual Representative Meeting here (click on ‘Motions Arising From ARM’ in the right hand box, it will start at at 2 hrs 47 mins)
Therefore we urge you to contact your MP and ask them to attend the House of Commons debate on 13th July and support the Bill so it can go forward to a second reading. Please tell them why this is important to you.
There is more related information from the NHS Reinstatement Bill Campaign Group here; and here the Bill’s main author, Professor Allyson Pollock, analyses the NHS crisis and appropriate responses to it.
Tell your local press and MP
Please use the local press letter and edit to send to your local press and MP.
NHS Bill Letter guide for public and suggested draft local press letter
If you work in the NHS we have a letter guide NHS employees and suggested draft local press letter for NHS employees