About the Hastings Branch
The Hastings branch of this campaign followed on from a successful campaign to save the walk-in centre in Hastings. The campaign resulted in the walk-in centre at Hastings station being kept open as a primary care hub Campaigners launched the Hastings and Rother Keep Our NHS Public group in Hastings on 5 July 2020. We chose this date as it was the NHS’s 72nd birthday. We launched the group to support the NHS and joined with the wider East Sussex Save the NHS Campaign. The Hastings group’s origins arose from Hastings & District Trades Council. Union activists took the decision to form a group where they could work with activists in the community to protect local services.
The group will campaign against the underfunding and privatisation of the NHS and social care locally and nationally. It isn’t affiliated to any political party but it will initiate and support campaigns to stop the erosion of our NHS services.
Launch
Campaigners kept the launch event small and brief. We asked attendees to wear masks and repect social distancing. Our local press published the following articles about the launch.
https://www.hastingsinfocus.co.uk/2020/07/08/hastings-launch-for-the-keep-nhs-pubic-campaign/
NHS Staff
With its background from the trade union movement, the welfare and interests of NHS staff is a major focus of the group. We have campaigned and will continue to campaign for improved terms and conditions of health service staff. Whether it be the health and safety aspects of the current pandemic, the campaign for a pay rise for NHS staff and other key-workers, or other issues such as the outsourcing of services to the private sector.
Contact
Email keepournhspublichr@gmail.com
