More cuts protests in Yorkshire

Unions and campaign groups are to step up protests, including in Yorkshire, against the Government’s controversial reforms of the NHS, warning they were costing jobs and damaging services.

Protests, marches and lobbies will be held in Yorkshire in opposition to the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill which unions believe will lead to health services being privatised.

MPs will be lobbied and protests held in cities including Rotherham, Sheffield, Nottingham, Bolton, Sunderland and Winchester.

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Dave Prentis, general secretary of the Unison union, said: “The Government cannot afford to keep ignoring the anger of voters. We saw nearly half a million people march through London on Saturday to protest against public service cuts.

“April 1 will see our members again taking action to challenge their MPs and to defend the NHS against Andrew Lansley’s privatisation plans.

“The Government is a lone voice for NHS privatisation and, by turning their back on the electorate, they are turning the clocks back on healthcare across the UK.”

The All Together for the NHS campaign, co-ordinated by the TUC and bringing together unions and campaigners from across the health sector, warned that the Government’s proposals risked taking up to £3 billion away from patient care when the NHS was already being asked to make £20 billion in “efficiency savings”.

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TUC deputy general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The speed and scale of these changes is huge, and while private sector companies stand to make a mint by cherry picking services, patients and staff will be big losers.

“The challenge now is to maintain public concern about the impact of spending cuts but also to make clear these reforms will alter the NHS that we know and love out of all recognition.”