A march – 999 Call for the NHS

Reposted and lightly amended with permission from Barkingside21.

Starting off from Jarrow early today, a group of local mums from Darlington known as the #Darlomums are beginning the 999 March for the NHS. They’ll make their way 300 miles to London entirely on foot.

They’re trying to draw attention to the critical condition of the NHS as it is gradually eroded by privatisation. Following the route of the Jarrow hunger march, they’ll pass through 23 towns and cities over 21 days. On each stretch they’ll be joined by NHS workers, NHS users, and other supporters of all stripes. It looks like it’s going to be big and bold. After all, there’s so much at stake.

They’ll be in this neck of the woods on Saturday 6th September leaving Edmonton at 10am and arriving in Westminster at 3pm for a rally which is likely to be a landmark event in the campaign to keep the NHS public.

They want us to join them. Here is a day-by-day route and a place to let them know you’re coming. Being volunteers with a lot to organise, they need funds too – you can help by buying a T-Shirt and/or donating. If you use Twitter, big up @999CallforNHS with the hashtag #march4nhs . If you use Facebook, they’re here.

Here is why:

• The BBC’s case for and against privatising the NHS.
• The Green Party has a good video explaining how the NHS is being privatised in 5 simple steps (or creeps, really) and a number of parliamentary bills.
• As The Sun chips away at NHS morale, Big Up the NHS clear-sightedly and unsentimentally builds it back up again.
• UKUncut draw attention to the massive profits that HSBC has made from NHS PFIs, and how little tax they paid on it. RBS and Barclays are also culpable.
• The National Health Action Party explain why privatising the NHS is bad for our health.
• In The Guardian Steven Morris asks who pays when the market screws up patient care. As it does.
• The National Health Action Party explain why privatising the NHS is bad for our health.
• Labour’s shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham is taking steps to stem the haemorrhagic flow of millions out of the NHS and into the bank accounts of competition lawyers.
• False Economy has guidance on how to identify the people who make decisions about the NHS, and how to get them to account for themselves. Also a factsheet on the recently-passed bill.
• Here’s a substantial part of East London-based Professor Allyson Pollock‘s 2006 book NHS plc.
• Local to Barkingside, the Save King George Hospital campaign and Redbridge’s most recent round of NHS cuts.