An open letter to all NHS staff – march with us this summer

A group of NHS campaigners are marching from the North East to London over the next few weeks. Will you join them?

Dear NHS Staff Member,

You may already know about the 999 Call for the NHS campaign led by a group of mums from Darlington. Their biggest project yet is the upcoming People’s March for the NHS.

Angry and shocked at the Government’s assault on the NHS, this small group of campaigners have managed to galvanize citizens across the nation to join them on the People’s March – a 300 mile long trek from Jarrow to parliament, following the route of the historic Jarrow Crusade, which took place nearly a hundred years ago when ordinary people began to rise upagainst political neglect.

Many unions and campaigns are supporting the March already. We urge you, as fellow NHS workers, to show solidarity and join the March in your area. It begins this Saturday, August 16th.

Some suggestions for actions to support the march include:

Forming a welcoming committee for when the march arrives in your town

Marching from your hospital to your local MP’s office or council to present a letter asking them to support the march and the NHS

Write a blog like this one for the 999 March for the NHS website explaining why you will be standing shoulder to shoulder with other NHS workers backing the march

Organising a protest action at a local Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays or HSBC bank branch to highlight their role in privatising the NHS. These banks own many of the PFI (Private Finance Initiative) contracts that are bankrupting NHS trusts.

Joining a National Day of Activity to coincide with the welcoming of The People’s March into London on Saturday, September 6th.

You can march for the whole length or just; it’s not about how much you can do, but just that you show you care

We are encouraging all NHS campaigners to make September 6th a national day for the NHS and hold local protests and actions.

March with us this summer.

The NHS is used by us, owned by us, and loved by us. Now the NHS can only be saved by us

Yours sincerely

Dr. Guddi Singh, NHS and Medact
Mark Boothroyd, Registered Nurse, NHS and 4:1 Campaign
Dr. Peter Campbell, NHS and Medical Practitioners Union (MPU)
Rehana Azam, GMB NHS National Officer & Co founder of the 999 People’s March for the NHS
Rt Hon Lord David Owen, House of Lords
Dr. Jacky Davis, NHS Consultants Assocation and British Medical Association (BMA) Council
Dr. Raymond Tallis, Emeritus Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Manchester
Dr. David McCoy, Queen Mary’s University London (QMUL) and Medact
Dr. Gurdave Gill, NHS and National Health Action Party (NHAP)
Christina McAnea, National Secretary for Health, UNISON
Geoff Lester, National Negotiator, Federation of Clinical Scientists