Report on the Sustainability & Transformation Partnership consultation – 8th February

From the Save Southend NHS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SaveSouthendNHS//

#SaveSouthendNHS have been emailed this by a member of the public who was not allowed entry to the STP discussion event on Thursday 8th February.

We are posting this word for word.

I went along to Cliffs Pavilion on Thursday to attend the consultation meeting regarding plans for local hospitals I knew tickets had all been allocated for the evening but as they were free I knew from experience that not everyone would turn up so went along bearing in mind originally they said turn up on night. I arrived at venue where there was police presence and four bouncers! There was only about 4 or 5 people waiting outside doors to get in when I got there and was told there was no room. When I looked through I could see a few people standing and room behind them I mentioned this to one of the security guys and said as there were only 4 of us could they let us in as I was happy to stand He replied we were not allowed to stand. When I questioned the fact that there were people standing he said they were speakers and public were not allowed to stand I have been to music events there where the room is rammed and everyone stands. Bearing in mind the organisers knew this event was oversubscribed I question why they didn’t change the layout of room and not had the round tables I learnt later from friends that there were even a couple of spare seats.

Yet another demonstration of how badly run the whole public consultation has been.

You can sign our petition here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-mid-south-essex-stp-downgrading-southend-hospital

Why the STP will not work

Gagged by the Rotten Borough

THis Is North Kensington

Yesterday there was a full council meeting in which members of the public were invited to speak. One resident who lives around the corner from Grenfell Tower  was banned from speaking at this by one of their “enforcers” because they had previously spoken.

They did allow one person (who spoke well and had also contributed on a previous occasion) to speak, but in not allowing others to talk ; they show themselves up for being a selective bunch who prefer the sound of their own voices.

What about the rights of some to tell them about their situations and when the situations change? We know that some of those in charge when sent emails and letters are completely unresponsive.

This is particularly disrespectful to those affected by Grenfell, but also a slap in the face to residents in general. The council  have also allowed  some other residents who have spoken…

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The impact of ‘rationalisation’

Reflections on the Save Southend NHS march and rally

Good to meet up with the South Essex crew and visit the Railway at last!

Save Southend NHS march and rally – it’s happening this weekend!

Fixture clash on Saturday 27th

Service reconfigurations = CUTS!

We urge everyone who can to support this action. Put it this way, if you’re ever in Southend and have an accident / get taken ill, it would be nice to know there are functioning medical facilities within bleeding distance.

No Merger!

We’ll continue to share reports on this campaign, as far as we’re concerned it’s the same fight.

Our experience has been that these public consultations are a smokescreen, designed to actually reduce public engagement and bore campaigners into submission. The decisions are taken elsewhere.

Only massive, spontaneous and potentially unruly public pressure stands a chance of reversing these cuts.

Medical staff, support staff, patients groups and community activists must work together without favouritism. If they win, we all lose.

Mergers and cuts…

A familiar story, suggest respond by merging the workforce (with or without the unions), the patients’ groups, and the anti-cuts activists on all three sites, for collective action.

Above all, refuse to bargain for services against other communities.