Rally set to urge Government to end ‘crisis’ in health service

THOUSANDS of health workers, patients, union members and activists will join a march in London today to demand an end to the “crisis” in the NHS.

The Government will be urged to provide more beds, staff and funds to ease the problems facing the service.

The event, called “NHS in crisis: Fix it now”, is being organised by the People’s Assembly and Health Campaigns Together.

Activists will march through central London from noon before holding an hour-long rally opposite Downing Street.

Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth, who will attend the demonstration, said: “We should be celebrating the 70th year of our NHS, yet the NHS is going through its worst winter on record. We have a fight on our hands for the future of a universal public NHS.”

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Our NHS is in intensive care, starved of the resources necessary to meet the needs of our ageing and diverse society.

“Meanwhile, brilliant, dedicated staff have suffered year after year of pay misery and are having to do more, with less, for less.”

Royal College of Nursing president Cecilia Akrisie Anim will address the rally and say: “Nursing staff are bearing the brunt of the enormous pressures facing the NHS.

“Staff at every level are experiencing burnout and many of our colleagues are turning their back on jobs they love.

“It’s no surprise that nursing staff feel overstretched and undervalued.”