From the Save Basildon NHS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/livesatstake/

On Monday, local trade unionists sent this letter to the NHS success regime and local media – they are now waiting for a response.

From: Basildon and Thurrock trades Union Council

To: Clare Panniker, CEO Mid and South Essex Hospitals Trust, Mid and South Essex Success Regime

Dear Ms Panniker

I am writing to ask that the Mid and South Essex “success regime” takes urgent steps to organise an open-to all public meeting in Basildon, to begin a period of consultation with local people about the enormous shortfall in funding that the NHS is facing.

We are very concerned that the “Success Regime” in mid and south Essex seems to be committed to substantial cuts in funding. We are concerned that the size of the cuts that are planned is unclear – ranging from a global figure of £150m on the SR’s website, to a figure of £100m stated to local health campaigners at a meeting on 17/10/17. We are concerned that the shape of those planned cuts is also unclear – especially since the Regime dramatically withdrew its plans to downgrade two out of three A&E units in July 2017, and has yet to publish new ones – though a reference was made to the possible closure of operating theatres in Basildon at the meeting of 17/10/17. All we seem to know for sure is that the cuts are coming and that they will be substantial.

Sir Simon Stevens, the Chief executive of NHS England has called for an emergency injection of £4bn to rescue the health service from an acute crisis. In the same speech, to the NHS Providers conference on 8 November, he called for funding increases of £20 to £30 billion to bring NHS spending in line with French or German levels.

Any meaningful consultation must be open to discussing this view – that one of our options is to fully fund the NHS as a comprehensive and free to use public healthcare system. What we don’t want is a pretend consultation on plans that are already finalised. We do not share the Success Regime’s optimism that access to GP services can be restricted, hospital services can be trimmed, increased demands can be made on social care provision without unacceptable consequences for the quality of treatment and care, and its availability for those without the means to pay.

David Murray

President, Basildon and Thurrock Trades Union Council