Events

SOS NHS DEMONSTRATION – END THE CRISIS – SUPPORT THE STRIKES
Saturday 11 March 2023

DEMONSTRATION REPORT:

What a fantastic day Saturday 11 March was. It was an incredibly lively and sometimes moving demonstration which including a tearful minute’s silence for Covid victims at the start.

The demonstration was called to demand that the government act now to end the extreme crisis in the NHS, a crisis which is causing hundreds of unnecessary and preventable deaths every week.

It was also about showing support for all striking NHS workers – and it included large contingents of angry nurses, midwives and junior doctors.

The many thousands of protestors were addressed by MPs and politicians from the Labour Party, Green Party and Sinn Fein, leading trade unionists and strikers and from campaigning groups including Keep our NHS Public, NHS Staff voices and the People’s Assembly and many more.

Dr Tony O’Sullivan from Keep our NHS Public insisted that the ‘current tragedy unfolding before our eyes is 100% the fault of the government’, Jeremy Corbyn MP made it clear how important the strikes are to the fight to protect the NHS, calling everyone to join the Junior Doctors’ picket lines on Monday.

Holly Turner from NHS Workers’ Say No insisted that we must be absolutely clear that the NHS crisis is not really an economic crisis, but a political one, ‘the fact is’ she said, ‘the money is there and the rich are getting immeasurably richer in our society’.

© Jess Hurd 11/03/2023 London. SOS NHS National Demonstration. Photo credit: Jess Hurd

The marchers expressed solidarity with Gary Lineker by singing the Match of The Day theme tune as the march got under way!

Many speakers also referenced the Gary Lineker affair and there was widespread recognition that the Government was trying to distract people with racist politics from the NHS crisis and the wider crisis across society.

John Rees from the People’s Assembly pointed out that the massive support for Lineker showed that the government can be isolated when we fight back.

© Jess Hurd 11/03/2023 London. SOS NHS National Demonstration. Photo credit: Jess Hurd

The demonstration clearly showed that the public really do have the will to fight for our NHS and that the Government has made a major miscalculation in attacking NHS workers who rightly remain hugely popular. The message was clear; the Government must act now to end the NHScrisis, and NHS workers must be granted the pay justice they deserve!

PLEASE DONATE TO COST OF DEMO

To make a one-off donation to the costs of the SOS NHS demonstration click here.

Suggested donations as follows:

Individual donation……………………………………… £25
Local campaign group…………………………………… £50
Trade union branch………………………………………. £100
National organisation (or non-health trade union)……. £500

If you’re a national health union and willing to make a contribution please get in touch with us to discuss what you can give by emailing, co-chair@keepournhspublic.com

If you’d like to send us a BACS transfer or a cheque please email campaigns@keepournhspublic.com

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION
SATURDAY 28 JANUARY

National Day of Action called by Keep Our NHS Public and SOS NHS.

We stand with NHS staff and demand the Government takes concrete action to save lives now. We’ve called on local campaign groups and trade union branches who support the SOS NHS coalition to hit the streets in their towns and cities on Saturday 28 January to tell the public, that we demand the Government grants striking NHS staff pay justice and intervenes to end the NHS crisis.

If you have an event planned and you don’t see it here – please fill in the form below:

Day of Action Form

Events so far

Brighton

Royal Sussex Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton
Contact: ken.kirk1@ntlworld.com

Chippenham, Wiltshire

Time TBC | The Town Bridge, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Contact: christineltb123@gmail.com

Evesham

10:30am | Near NatWest and WHSmith at the top of Bridge Street, Evesham, Worcestershire
Contact: middlefarm3@aol.com

Great Glen, Leicester

11am | Great Glen Methodist Church Car Park
Contact: apalison602@gmail.com

Huddersfield

11am | Huddersfield, St Georges Square, Enough is Enough Demo in support of striking workers
Contact: mike.forster56@gmail.com

Kendal

11am – 2.00pm | Kendal, Market Square
Contact: trevor@trevorbatchelor.com

Leeds

12pm – 1pm | Leeds General Infirmary, Jubilee Wing
Contact: gilda.peterson@aniger.org.uk

London – Hammersmith and Fulham

2pm-4pm | Lyric Square, W6 0QL – near Hammersmith Broadway tube stations
Contact: scxandh@gmail.com

London – Harrow

Time and location TBC
Contact: Jeannie_nguyen@hotmail.com

London – Islington

11.00am – 1.00pm | Four street stalls at main shopping areas: The Angel, Highbury and Islington tube forecourt, Nags Head, and Archway market.

London – Palmers Green, Enfield

Time and location TBC
Contact: sue_davies@fastmail.fm

London – Ealing

11.30am -1.00 pm | Street Stall outside Marks and Spencers in Ealing Broadway.
Contact: eveturner@btopenworld.com

London – Lewisham

11am- 1pm | Lewisham Centre The Clocktower
Contact: Kathy.cruise33@gmail.com

Nottingham

11am | Nottingham Market Sq
Contact: richardbuckwell@hotmail.com

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

11am-1pm | Grey’s Monument / Northumberland Street
Info: www.konpnortheast.com

Southampton

12pm | Bargate in Southampton
Contact: hell.field@btinternet.com

Southend-on-Sea

10am-12pm | Under the railway bridge, Southend High Street
Contact: katie.sheehan@me.com

Sheffield

Outside the Moor Markets 77 The Moor, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 4PF
Contact: Mickpsuter@gmail.com

More information coming soon…

SOS NHS CONFERENCE 2022

Watch our conference sessions here

The NHS is failing, not because of inherent flaws, but because the Government wants it to fail. Neither the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, the Health and Care Act, or Jeremy Hunt’s recent proposals for ‘virtual wards’ will deliver what we need. We demand a health and care service fit for all – and we invite you to play a part in winning just that.

EVENT HAS PASSED: LOOK OUT FOR CONFERENCE REPORT SOON!

Speakers included:

Dr Tony O’Sullivan – Co-chair Keep Our NHS Public
Mike Forster – Chair of Health Campaigns Together
Dr Andrew Meyerson – A&E Doctor
Kate Osborne MP – Labour Party
Unite the Union Speaker tbc
Dr Sonia Adesara – NHS Doctor and member of Keep Our NHS Public
Holly Turner – Nurse and co-founder of NHS Workers Say No
Ian Hodson – President of BFAWU
Holly Johnston – Nurse and activist
UNISON Speaker tbc
Alia Butt – NHS Psychologist & Chair of NHS Staff Voices
Helen O’Connor – GMB organiser and NHS activist
Michael Mansfield QC – Chair People’s Covid Inquiry and human rights lawyer

Our national Day of Action was a great success – but this is only the beginning !

This will be the hardest winter ever in health and social care. We must act to safeguard services for patients and service users, boost staff morale and tackle the mental health crisis among health and care staff. Emergency funds must be secured now to avert disaster. That’s why we called a huge national Day of Action on Saturday 26 February with over 85 events throughout the UK.

We must repair crumbling hospitals; restore NHS beds, recruit, retain, train and properly pay health and care staff; rebuild underfunded public health and GP services struggling to respond effectively to Covid; publicly fund a service for care and independent living support; and much more. The Health and Care Bill does none of these things. We need new legislation to secure a fully public NHS and end privatisation.

YOU CAN STILL USE OUR HELPFUL SOS NHS MATERIALS:

Download to print or order your leaflets here:

Download the SOS NHS leaflet

Order the SOS NHS leaflet

Download the petition poster

Order KONP patients leaflet on the H&C bill

Order KONP staff leaflet on the H&C bill

Download Unite the Union materials on the H&C Bill

We held events in all the below locations:

ALL EVENTS:

Barnstaple | 11:00 | Barnstaple High Street
Contact: rhaworthbooth@yahoo.com

Bath | 12 noon | Bath Abbey Church Yard
Contact: janeasamson@hotmail.co.uk
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/478182703933122/

Beverley | 10:00 | The White Company, Toll Gavel
Contact: chloehopkins93@googlemail.com

Birmingham
12:00 | Erdington High St opposite St Barnabas’ Church
Contact: btuchcc@hotmail.com
13:00 | Waterstones / Bull Ring
Contact: jae2702@hotmail.com

Bridgewater | 11:00 | Blake Statue (Cornhill)
Contact email: adm.mitchell@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/5993304717353038/

Brighton
11:00 | Bottom of St James Street (near War Memorial) | Street stall, petitioning, soapbox and Tug of War (people’s NHS vs the Fat Cats!)
Contact: janet.sang@btinternet.com
12:00 | Brighton Clock Tower | Street stall and rally
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org

Bristol
11:00 | Bristol Royal Infirmary
Contact: zarriaphillips@gmail.com
12:00 – 14:00 | The Centre
Contact: protectournhs@gmail.com

Bromsgrove
11:00 | Housman Statue
Contact: bromsgrovelabourparty@gmail.com
12 noon | High Street
Contact: judibyrne2604@gmail.com

Cambridge | 10:30 | [Assembly point TBC]
Contact: cambskonp@gmail.com

Chester | 12:00 | Northgate St (between Town Hall and The Cross)
Contact: konpcheshire@gmail.com

Chesterfield | 11:00 | Rykneld Square
Contact email: jeannie.rob48@gmail.com

Chipping Norton | 09:00 | Chipping Norton Market Place | Street stall
Contact: steveakers55@gmail.com

Coventry | 11:00 | Broadgate
Contact: covkonp@gmail.com

Crawley | 13:30 | Leafleting
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org

Crewe | 11:00 | [Assembly point TBA]
Contact: babobbyanderson746@gmail.com

Darlington | 11:30 | High Row, Darlington
Contact: darlingtontuc@gmail.com

Dewsbury | 10:00 | Dewsbury Hospital Main Entrance
Contact: Fazloonatlabour@gmail.com

Eastbourne | 12 noon | Banker’s Corner, Terminus Road | Street stall
Contact: esussexsavethenhs@outlook.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1062435737955286/

Ellesmere Port | 13:30 | CH65 (walkway between Asda and Port Arcades)
Contact: konpcheshire@gmail.com

Exeter | 11:00 | Bedford Square
Contact: davidjkevans@googlemail.com

Faringdon | 09:30 | [Assembly point TBA]
Contact: lucynpalmer@outlook.com

Glasgow | 13:00 | George Square
Contact: ashleymcfarlane@me.com

Hastings | 12 noon | Robertson Street (TN34 1HT) | Street stall
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org

Ilford | 12:30 | Outside Ilford town hall
Contact: wendytaylor99@gmail.com

Ipswich | 11:00 | Tavern Street, town centre (near Boots)
Contact: anthony.dooley@ntlworld.com

Kendal (Cumbria) | 11:00 | War Memorial, Market place, Stricklandgate
Contact: trevor@trevorbatchelor.com

King’s Lynn | 12:00 | Burtons shop on the High Street
Contact: jo4nn3rust@hotmail.co.uk

Hebden Bridge | 11:00 | Junction of Market St / Holme St
Contact: nigelfsmith1954@yahoo.co.uk

High Wycombe | 11:00 | White Hart St, Wycombe town centre | Street stall
Contact: lindaj2ohnson56@hotmail.com

Huddersfield | 12 noon | Huddersfield Royal Infirmary
Contact: mike.forster56@gmail.com

Lancaster | 14:00 | Royal Lancaster Infirmary (White Cross entrance)
Contact: LancasterSaveOurHospitals@gmail.com
https://fb.me/e/2RXhjYwQX

Leamington | 11:00 | Leamington Town Hall
Contact email: martin.drew@me.com

Leeds | 12 noon | City centre (old Debenhams site, 121 Briggate) | Leafleting, live music and Town Hall photo-call
Contact: john.puntis@yahoo.co.uk

Leicester | 12 noon | Gallowtree Gate (near NatWest), city centre
Contact: tom.p.barker@googlemail.com

Liverpool | 11:30 | Bold St (steps of St Luke’s)
Contact: SaveLWH@outlook.com

London – Barnet:
11:00 – 13:00 | Tescos Ballards Lane, N3 1XP
11:00 – 13:00 | The Bohemian, High Road N12 9QH
11:00 – 13:00 | The Spires, 111 High Street, EN5 5XY
11:00 – 13:00 | Burnt Oak, Montrose Park (corner of Montrose Ave and Silkstream) HA8 0DT
Contact for all above: Janette876@hotmail.co.uk

14:15 – 15:15 | Muswell Hill Broadway (near Planet Organic)
Contact: noeleen.grattan@gmail.com

London – Bexley | 12 noon | Bexleyheath Clock Tower
Contact: richard.crook973@btinternet.com

London – Camden (GOSH) | 12 noon | Great Ormond Street Hospital
Contact: NHSStaffVoices.KONP@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/637472310851503/

London – Ealing | 12 noon | Ealing Hospital
Contact: eveturner@btopenworld.com

London – Enfield | 11:00 | The Triangle, Palmers Green
Contact: defendenfieldnhs@gmail.com

London – Greenwich | 12 noon | General Gordon Square, Woolwich
Contact: jeannelawes@hotmail.com

London – Hackney | 12 noon | Abney Park Cemetry, Stoke Newington Church Street entrance | Stall
Contact: Marion.macalpine@blueyonder.co.uk

London – Hammersmith & Fulham | 11:30 | Lyric Square, Hammersmith
Contact: scxandh@gmail.com

London – Haringey:
11:00 – 12:30 | Wood Green Library, N22
Contact: nprdavidson@yahoo.co.uk)
11:00 – 12:30 | Tottenham Market, Holcombe Road N17
Contact: keithdobie1949@yahoo.co.uk)

London – Islington:
11:00 – 13:00 | 3 stalls: Angel station, Archway station and Nag’s Head
14:00 – 15:30 | Rally at Highbury Fields (near Highbury & Islington station)
Contact: profrichards@tiscali.co.uk

London – Lambeth | 12 noon | Windrush Square
Contact: wendyhorler@hotmail.com

London – Lewisham | 11:00 | The Clock Tower (Lewisham Shopping Centre)
Contact: savelewishamhospital@yahoo.com

London – Merton | 11:00 | Centre Court (exit of Wimbledon station)
Contact: gmccall52@btinternet.com

London – Newham
12 noon | Stratford station
Contact: francesontour@yahoo.co.uk

London – Waltham Forest | 10:30 | Walthamstow Library
Contact: wfsonhs@googlegroups.com

London – Wandsworth | 11:00 | Tooting Broadway Tube station | Street stall
Contact: drmikesquires@gmail.com

Lytham | 11:00 | [Assembly point TBA]
Contact: fell80@yahoo.co.uk

Manchester | 14:00 | St Peters Square
Contact: konpmcr@hotmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/515182456466445/

Margate | 12 noon | QEQM Hospital | Demonstration
Contact: candygregory@btinternet.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2718652805098003

Market Harborough | 12 noon | The Square (E16 7PA)
Contact: tom.p.barker@googlemail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/521472095903479/

Milton Keynes | 12 noon | City centre (near Marks & Spencer) | Rally, stall, music and street theatre
Contact: csosseh@hotmail.co.uk

Newcastle | 12 noon | Grey’s Monument
Contact: konpnortheast@gmail.com

Norwich | 12 noon | Guildhall Hill (near Tesco Express) | Community stall
Contact: wjsmith2905@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/974600346811216/

Nottingham
11:30 | Council House Market Square Street stall
13:00 | Mass leafleting of crowds at Nottingham Forest football ground (Brian Clough stand) Contact (for both): richardbuckwell@hotmail.com

Orpington | 11:30 | Main Entrance Princess Royal University Hospital
Contact email: bromcrouc@gmail.com

Oxford | 14:00 | Manzil Way | March and rally at Bonn Square (15:30)
Contact: ian.mckendrick@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/509821233821552

Portsmouth | 12:30 | Queen Alexandra Hospital | Stall and photo opp
Contact: kelly.tomlinson@unitetheunion.org

Plymouth | 12 noon | Plymouth Hoe
Contact: rjaldred@hotmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/933243820888514

Preston | 11:00 | The Flag Market
Contact: csr.nhs.campaign@gmail.com

Reading | 12 noon | Broad Street | March and rally at Town Hall
Contact: mcnamara.danny@gmail.com

Sheffield | 12 noon | Sheffield Town Hall
Contact: holly.johnston83.hj@gmail.com

Sittingbourne | 10:00 | The Forum, Sittingbourne High St
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org

Slough | 12 noon | Slough Town Square | Leafleting
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org

Solihull | 10:30 | Solihull Hospital (Lode Lane Entrance)
Contact: solihullkonp@outlook.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/949328685719957/

Southampton | 13:30 | Bargate, city centre
Contact: hell.field@btinternet.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1411672239248133/

Southport | 10:30 | Chapel Street | Street stall and petitioning
Contact: MerseysidePicturemish@yahoo.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/481466573354569/

Sunderland | Seaburn Beach | 15:00
Contact: konpsdsec@btinternet.com

Torquay | 12 noon | Torbay Hospital (Lawes Bridge entrance) | Rally
Contact: lynngunnigle@hotmail.co.uk

Totnes | 11:00 | Totnes Hospital (Station Road entrance)
Contact: dave@starlynx.plus.com

Tunbridge Wells | 10:00 | 2-4 Calverley Road (near Metro Bank) | Street stall
Contact: cajunbarn@outlook.com

Tynemouth | 14:30 | Long Sands Beach (near Grand Hotel)
Contact: konpnortheast@gmail.com

Wells | 11:00 | Market Square
Contact: julia.adams53@btinternet.com

Whitstable | 11:00 | Whitstable High St (near old Barclays building) | Street stall
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org

Wirral | 12:30 | Hamilton Square, Birkenhead
Contact: fandg08@yahoo.com

Witney | 10:00 | Witney Market place | Street stall
Contact: judith@allcittern.co.uk

Worthing | 12 noon | Worthing Hospital | Photo opp at hospital, then street stall in town centre (12:30, Chapel Rd / Warwick St)
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org

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