Act now to oppose Clause 118- No English hospital will be safe !

NO English hospital is safe

Dubbed the 'hospital closure clause' no hospital in England will be safe from financially driven closures if we don't act now.
Following the High Court ruling against the secretary of state, Jeremy Hunt’s decision to close the successful and solvent Lewisham Hospital, he is now trying to get the law changed.

Clause 118 is being rushed through Parliament. If it becomes law the secretary of state will have won. Hospitals will be shut at the whim of Whitehall bureaucrats, without full and proper consultation with patients and the public, and without even any agreement from the new GP commissioning groups (CCGs).
This means that even if a local hospital is successful and financially viable it can be shut if a neighbouring NHS trust is failing - no matter how vocal local opposition is to the plans. 

We can’t let him get away with it ! Our local MP, Stephen Lloyd  has a vote – the Care Bill will have its third reading in the House of Commons at the beginning of February 2014.  Click here to send (and customise) a prepared email letter urging Stephen Lloyd to oppose this clause, which has potentially grave implications for the DGH and other local health services !

Next Trades Council Meeting- January 28th

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 28th January, 7.30pm at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (T&GWU), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. The main focus of the campaign will be supporting DGH and wider NHS campaigns.

All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Approval of new affiliations.

3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer

5. DGH AND HEALTH CAMPAIGNS- including update on the Save the DGH Campaign and the Unite NHS campaigns.

6. Possible future events- Spirit of '45 and Hastings May Dav events

7. Nominations for the Len Caine Award 2014

8. Any other Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.

9. Any other business

Keep Tax Advice Local- decision day !

Eastbourne Trades Council sends its solidarity with PCS members and supporters in their fight against the closure of local tax advice offices.

On Tuesday 14 January 2013, executives from Revenue and Customs will meet to decide the fate of 281 tax advice offices. If they decide to close these offices over 2.5 million pensioners, vulnerable workers and tax credit claimants will lose a vital service, and place over 1,300 low paid, skilled workers at risk of compulsory redundancy.

PCS has led a highly visible campaign which has received widespread support from politicians, media, trade unionists, pensioners groups and anti cuts campaigners.

At a time when the 300 richest people in the world are £319 billion better off than this time last year, there's no justification to cut a service that provides support for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Protest to Keep Tax Advice Local

Tuesday 14 January 2013,  9am 100 Parliament Street, Whitehall. Bring banners, flags and placards!

Any trade unionist, campaigner or worker outraged at what this government is doing to our welfare and benefits system is invited to attend this important demonstration. If you can't make it messages of support can be sent to r&ccampaigns@pcs..org.uk