On Saturday 5 July the Keep Our NHS Public campaign group, along with Socialist Party members in support, celebrated the 60th anniversary of the creation of our NHS. With balloons, birthday cake, badges and t-shirts the group raised funds for its campaign along with awareness about the attacks and attempts to privatise services and cut services and staff.
Brighton and Hove's health trust is planning to open GP services up to the private sector, yet almost everyone who took part in the group's public ballot on the stall in Churchill Square was against privatisation. Campaigners, the public and Socialist Party members want to know why there has been no public consultation about this? When talking to people about the potential for companies like Richard Branson's Virgin Health to get involved the reaction was one of worry. Over and over again people responded with comments like "privatising things never works" and "they're only in it for the money".
Our NHS is one of the most proudest achievements and is evidence of what can be achieved by a united, organised and fighting working class. Now we need to mark the NHS' 60th anniversary with a renewed struggle to save it.
Get involved with the KONHSP group. Campaigners meet every fortnight on Wednesdays, 7pm downstairs at the Phoenix Community Centre (see map in the lefthand column). The next meeting is Wednesday 30 July.
