Whipps makes its mark in national day of action

15 December. Whipps Cross staff and campaigners gathered outside the hospital main gates on a national day of action against health cuts and closures. Over 100 people came out in their lunch hour, including teachers from local schools and members of the public. All three local MPs joined the rally as well as several councillors.

As cars and vans hooted their support the crowd was addressed by health staff union representatives, Waltham Forest Trades Council and library workers representatives, campaigners, and the three MPS.

Speakers highlighted the impact of the campaign, Neil Gerrard saying he was convinced the intention at the start of the Fit of Future review was to downgrade Whipps but the evidence is now shifting in favour of maintaining it as a District General Hospital. All emphasised that there is a long way to go and the campaign needs to keep up its work.

The crowd was urged to make the coming demonstration on 3 February as big as possible. It will march from outside Whipps Cross to a meeting in the Town Square, Walthamstow Market, and the health unions urged that the national demonstration everyone is demanding take place on 3 March.

Meanwhile, over in Haringey, the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Campaign co-ordinated protests at four sites of local concern - St Ann's Hospital, Crouch End Health Clinic, Fortis Green Health Clinic and the Hornsey Central Hospital site. At each site residents displayed banners and placards, handed out leaflets and asked users and staff from the facilities, and passers by, to sign petitions.

"The Health Service locally is dying a death of a thousand cuts. It is sometimes argued that cuts are just a paper exercise that won't have any real impact. But what is being proposed here will actually make the lives of some of the most vulnerable and least well off people in Haringey worse. People all over the country are saying 'enough is enough' and are joining the ever-growing anti-cuts protests," said Keith Flett, Chair of the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition and President of the Haringey Trades Council.