Show some #NHSLove tomorrow & celebrate 70th anniversary

Message from Larry Sanders, Green Party Health Spokesperson

Tomorrow, I will be taking part in a demonstration in London celebrating the 70^thanniversary of our wonderful NHS.

The event has been organised by a range of health and campaign organisations, including Health Campaigns Together (of which the Green Party is an affiliate), the People's Assembly and the Trades Union Congress.

We assemble at 12 midday at Portland Place, London and will march together to Downing Street.

The marchers will include Greens, including Deputy Leader Amelia Womack, as well as people of all parties and none. Together we will affirm our support for a publicly owned and properly funded NHS, that is free for all, and show our appreciation of our amazing NHS workers.

JOIN ME

Yours in solidarity

Larry Sanders
Green Party Health Spokesperson

Greens on NHS crisis: Reverse cuts, end privatisation, give NHS the necessary funds

The Green Party has responded to the winter crisis gripping the NHS, calling on the Government to reverse cuts, end privatisation and give the NHS the funding it needs.

Larry Sanders, Green Party health spokesperson said the hard work of front line staff is being undermined by the Government’s refusal to properly fund the NHS.

Larry Sanders, Green Party health spokesperson, said:

News this week of thousands of cancelled operations and record numbers of patients waiting in ambulances has confirmed what we already knew – the NHS is on its knees. Front line staff are working incredibly hard to care for people, but their efforts are being undermined on a daily basis by the Government’s refusal to give the NHS the funding it so desperately needs.

Jeremy Hunt’s hollow apology for the cancelled operations fixes nothing.  We need him to reverse the cuts, fund our health service properly and end privatisation.

The UK spends a smaller percentage of its GDP on health than countries like France and Germany. Instead of wasting billions on Trident we could be looking after people who need health and social care. It’s time for the Government to acknowledge that we can afford to fund health and social care if it makes the right political choices.

Larry Sanders: junior doctors are heroes in the fight for a high quality NHS

Commenting on the  junior doctors' strike, Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said:

It is sad that junior doctors have been forced to this point by the obstinate approach of the health secretary, whose flat-out refusal to drop his insistence on imposing a new contract has scuppered any possibility of meaningful talks with the British Medical Association.

Industrial action is a last resort and I know from having spent time on the picket lines over recent months that junior doctors are taking this unprecedented action with a heavy heart.

The government must change the way it treats our NHS and reopen negotiations with the junior doctors. A caring health secretary would negotiate with the junior doctors to produce an acceptable contract.

Until then, I, and fellow Green Party members and supporters will continue to stand in solidarity with NHS staff as we fight for what’s right.

Greens supporting the junior doctors today

Larry Sanders, the Green Party's Health and Social Care Spokesperson and the brother of US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, added:

The Green Party supports the junior doctors’ strike because the new contract, if imposed, would have disastrous effects on patients and the NHS.

We are pleased that medical risks will be minimised by the back-up of senior doctors.

The junior doctors are heroes in the fight for a high quality NHS. They do not want to strike; their pride is in their work.

Jeremy Hunt is attempting to force a contract on them which puts patients at risk and reduces their pay. If he succeeds he will drive devoted doctors from the NHS. We already have too few doctors, nurses and hospital beds, with £22 billion of further cuts in the pipe line. A victory for Hunt would be an important step towards a profit-based NHS.