Brent Fightback

The next meeting of Brent Fightback, the
local anti-cuts campaign is this Tuesday, 17th April, 7.30 p.m. at the Trades
and Labour Hall, 375 High Road, NW10 2JR.

All are welcome

The agenda will include:

The struggle to defend the NHS – Brent Trades Council will be holding a
public meeting on the threat to services in Brent, Ealing and Harrow on
Wednesday 5th May at Harlesden Methodist Church, and there is ongoing activity
at the London-wide level to defend the NHS against privatisation (see
below).

The struggle over pensions is far from over, Unite union workers in health
will be striking on May 10th, and the National Union of Teachers voted at its
conference to follow regional strikes in may with a further national strike in
June. We will discuss what we can do to help.

We will also be discussing latest news over Brent schools becoming
academies and the situation with the libraries.

KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC
London campaign
coordniating meeting
MONDAY 16
APRIL 7pm
Camden Town Hall
Judd St WC1 (Kings X / Euston
tubes)
To discuss weekend of action below as
well as other action points agreed at last meeting as attached.
Tell Richard
Branson ...
KEEP VIRGIN
PROFITEERING
OUT OF OUR
NHS!WEEKEND OF ACTION
APRIL 21 AND 22
Below are just a few reasons to oppose
the way the Health Act opens up our NHS to private profits from companies like
Virgin. With Richard Branson threatening to sue even the mildest critics, we
need to show we won't let him bully his way in to taking over our health
service.
Local groups are asked to pick a Virgin store
or Gym and organise a protest. Let us know when and where. We will have a
leaflet you can use on the day. Virgin media store locator: http://shop.virginmedia.com/store-locator.html Virgin Active club finder: http://www.virginactive.co.uk/en/club-finder
Plans in London so far include:
Saturday 21 April
Camden &
Islington 2pm Virgin store Oxford St, opposite the Plaza
(contact 07946 480261)
Waltham Forest
1pm Virgin store Selbourne Walk
Meet outside Walthamstow central
Library 1pm sharp (contact 07914 529959)
Sunday 22
April
Lewisham, Lambeth &
Southwark at London marathon sponsored by Virgin
(details soon on http://www.lewishamkonp.org/)
Is Virgin coming to a hospital
or clinic near you?
Before the new Health and Social Care Act has
even come into force, Ricahrd Branson's Virgin care have already taken over
these NHS services:
£500million contract for community health
services in South West and North West Surrey
Sexual Health Service for Milton Keynes
Dermatology service in the Isle of Wight
Shortlisted as potential providers of
integrated children’s services in Devon
(i)
Richard Branson
and David Cameron "You rub my back - I'll rub yours"
It is not surprising "Virgin Care" is doing
well out of the NHS or that Branson was one of the guests at the White House
when David Cameron went to dinner there last month.
Just before the 2010 election Richard Branson
was photographed in February supporting David Cameron's election bid. (ii)
A month later he bought loss-making Assura
private health company for knock down price of £4m, saying Virgin had been
waiting to find "the right entry point" into the health market. (iii)
That acquisition of a GP provider company put
Virgin in pole position to have influence in the government's new commissioning
arrangements.
A year later Virgin was the private health
company with most links on the shadow commissioning boards.(iv)
Any criticism and Branson
threatens to sue!
Richard Branson is threatening to sue the
Telegraph and journalist Max Pemberton for an article critical of Virgin's
takeover of community services published this week. It is reported Branson is
demanding a half page reply. A high court injunction was served on Sunday to try
to prevent the article being published. Branson is said to be unhappy too about
the tweeting and using it as part of the case. Max could face costs of up to
£90,000.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/9193015/Healthy-competition-in-the-NHS-is-a-sick-joke.html

Links
(i) http://www.hsj.co.uk/hsj-local/pcts/devon-pct/virgin-and-serco-on-shortlist-for-devon-childrens-services/5042813.article
(ii)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1251534/Sir-Richard-Branson-backs-Tory-spending-cuts.html
(iii) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f4f87ba6-26c5-11df-bd0c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1rk2DTIgV
(iv) http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/12203991/half-on-some-gp-consortium-boards-have-links-to-virgin-group