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Hundreds to join NHS cuts rally NHS staff rally over health cuts
(about 9 hours later)
Hundreds of NHS staff are expected to descend on Parliament for a rally against the state of the NHS. Health workers from across the country are to descend on Parliament in the strongest show of opposition yet over the government's handling of the NHS.
NHS Together, an alliance of 16 health unions, has arranged the demonstration against job losses in the NHS and the pace of government reforms. Campaigners will travel to Westminster to demonstrate and lobby MPs over NHS cuts and privatisation.
The health service is facing unprecedented upheaval with increasing private sector involvement and major hospitals under threat of cuts. NHS Together, an alliance of 16 health unions, is protesting over what its says is "unprecedented upheaval".
Officials from the alliance will also be lobbying MPs. Jobs have been axed and hospitals face cutbacks as the government pushes ahead with its reform programme.
Hundreds of doctors, nurses, midwives, cleaners and other support staff are expected to warn continued reform risks are "fragmenting" the health service.
A campaign open-top bus will tour London, while a rally of NHS staff will take place in Westminster before a mass lobby of MPs.
A series of speakers, including Unison general secretary Dave Prentis, have been lined up to address the rally.A series of speakers, including Unison general secretary Dave Prentis, have been lined up to address the rally.
Staff morale is at an all time low NHS Together spokeswoman Send us your comments Staff morale is at an all time low NHS Together spokeswoman Send us your comments href="/1/hi/health/6103032.stm" class="">Public split over NHS
They will say that 20,000 posts are being cut - although the government says only 900 staff will actually be made redundant with the other cuts being made through natural wastage and voluntary redundancy. They will say that 20,000 posts are being cut - although the government says only 900 staff will actually be made redundant, with the other cuts made through natural wastage and voluntary redundancy.
Campaigners will also criticise the government's reform programme which they say risks "fragmenting" the health service. Health staff will be joined by members of the National Pensioners Convention and national campaign Keep Our NHS Public, who will march to the Houses of Parliament from Waterloo from 11.30GMT.
Over recent years, the government has increasingly relied on private involvement through independent sector treatment centres, which carry out minor surgery, and PFI schemes, which use private money to build new hospitals.Over recent years, the government has increasingly relied on private involvement through independent sector treatment centres, which carry out minor surgery, and PFI schemes, which use private money to build new hospitals.
Some of the NHS's major acute hospitals are also coming under threat as local health bosses carry out reviews of services to make the health service more efficient.Some of the NHS's major acute hospitals are also coming under threat as local health bosses carry out reviews of services to make the health service more efficient.
A spokeswoman for NHS Together, which includes the British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing and Unison, said: "NHS staff are proud of the real improvements in the health service in recent years but we are increasingly worried that progress is now under threat. A spokeswoman for NHS Together, which includes the British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing and Unison, said: "NHS staff are proud of the real improvements in the health service in recent years, but we are increasingly worried that progress is now under threat.
"Staff morale is at an all time low. We support changes that improve patient care but there is too much top down change that has not won the support or involvement of the staff who have to implement it." "Staff morale is at an all time low. We support changes that improve patient care, but there is too much top-down change that has not won the support or involvement of the staff who have to implement it."
MoneyMoney
Steve Sweeney, a psychiatric nurse from Cambridge, who will be joining the protest, said his area was facing cuts to mental health, inpatient care and rehabilitation wards.Steve Sweeney, a psychiatric nurse from Cambridge, who will be joining the protest, said his area was facing cuts to mental health, inpatient care and rehabilitation wards.
"I'm going to London because what's happening here is happening throughout the country."I'm going to London because what's happening here is happening throughout the country.
"The government is diverting money to private companies, who are leeching off the NHS."The government is diverting money to private companies, who are leeching off the NHS.
"It's important for people to stand up and show the government that they can't do this without a fight.""It's important for people to stand up and show the government that they can't do this without a fight."
The protest comes as a YouGov poll of 2,000 people showed more than half believed the NHS had got worse in the last decade.The protest comes as a YouGov poll of 2,000 people showed more than half believed the NHS had got worse in the last decade.
But Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said the government was committed to pushing ahead with its reforms.But Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said the government was committed to pushing ahead with its reforms.
"If we know that change will deliver better quality care and better value for money for taxpayers, then standing still is simply not an option."If we know that change will deliver better quality care and better value for money for taxpayers, then standing still is simply not an option.
"However, what will never change is our commitment to safeguard NHS values," she said."However, what will never change is our commitment to safeguard NHS values," she said.