Trafford march to show support for NHS on 5 July
29 June 2011
Health workers and the general public in Trafford, near
Manchester, are being encouraged to march to defend the NHS from
cuts and the privatisation of services on its 63rd birthday.
Unite, the largest union in the country with 100,000 members in
the health service, is holding the march which starts from Trafford
Centre Bus Station at 6.15pm on Tuesday 5 July, finishing at
Trafford General Hospital.
Unite regional officer, Gary Owen said: ”Reaching 63 is an
unusual birthday to be celebrating - not one of your traditional
landmarks. However, despite the coalition’s so-called
'listening exercise' and the report of the Future Forum, people in
Trafford feel that this could be the last birthday of the NHS
as we know and love it.
”We want to retain a universal, joined-up service. We don’t want
the words National Health Service to become a mere marketing logo –
an umbrella under which private healthcare companies can reap
massive profits at the expense of patient care.
”We would like people to join the march and demonstrate their
appreciation for one of the great UK institutions which is
threatened by the double whammy of swingeing cuts, dressed up as
‘efficiency savings’ and the privatisation of services.”
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information please contact Gary Owen, regional
officer, on 0845 601 0653 and/or Shaun Noble, Unite communications
officer, on 07768 693940.
