Photo: MattieTK/Flickr

The coalition government has forced through the Health and Social Care Bill which seeks to further open up the healthcare market by welcoming ‘any willing provider’. This decision opens the door to the creation of an unequal two-tier system based on ability to pay. The leading private companies stand to gain lucrative new contracts, subsidised by the taxpayer, to squeeze private profit through damaging ‘cost efficiencies’ while poor people across the UK lose access to important healthcare services.

Red Pepper is bringing together NHS experts and health professionals with campaigners and activists to listen to the plans already underway from those in the health sector to defend the NHS. We will discuss how activists and campaigners can support these efforts and block the implementation of the Bill, defending the principle of a comprehensive, universal, free service for all, that values people over private profit.

The format will be:

Intro: Sarah-Jayne Clifton, editor at Red Pepper Magazine.

Professor Colin Leys: Summary of the implications of the Bill for access to free healthcare at the point of need.

Wendy Savage,co-chair of Keep our NHS Public: Campaigning activities and plans from Keep Our NHS Public.

Jonathan Tomlinson, GP: Campaigning plans for activist GPs.

Save Homerton Hospital: Experiences from a grassroots community campaign.

Questions to speakers / responses.

Round of comments / input from audience members.