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To: Richard Samuels, HIOW STP Programme Lead

Secret plans underway for our NHS: What they don't want you to know

We, the undersigned, demand that serious consultative arrangements are set up immediately so that the people of the Southampton area have an early opportunity to understand the impact of STP plans on our local health services.

Why is this important?

Plans have been drawn up in secret for yet another top-down re-organisation of our NHS. Called Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs), their main aim is to reduce NHS spending by around £22 billion by 2020-21 across England. In the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area alone (HIOW), which includes Southampton, £1 billion of savings, must be made over the next 5 years.
These plans represent the second radical, top-down reorganisation of our NHS in 4 years. Local planners have been forbidden to conduct consultations on the whole plan for the area. So there will only be piecemeal consultations where particular problems arise. Although the plans contain some good ideas for integrating health and social care, the financial reductions required will limit how these can be achieved.
Earlier drafts of the STP, and published discussions amongst NHS Managers, show that the STP is based on some really worrying assumptions: e.g. that 3 out of the 6 acute hospitals in HIOW will be unsustainable in the next 5 years, or that 30% of GP practices will be unsustainable by 2020/21.
Local people are entitled to know how these judgements were made, and to have their say on the plans.

This petition is organised by: Southampton Keep Our NHS Public. (SKONP).

How it will be delivered

We plan to deliver signatures in person to Richard Samuels

Footprint area of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight STP – main centres: Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester, Basingstoke, Isle of Wight.

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Updates

2017-01-11 12:34:23 +0000

The campaign related to this petition is developing steadily.
On 19 December, we demonstrated with members of the People's Assembly and other sympathisers outside the Civic Centre, before a Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel (HOSP) meeting to discuss the STP. Our demo was attended by Father Christmas and his National Elf Service, and presented a giant Christmas card to the Chair of HOSP and the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) of the Council.
We'll be attending a 'Special' meeting of HOSP dedicated to further discussing the STP as it affects Southampton, on 18th January, at 5.30 in Southampton Civic Centre. These meetings are open to the public if you are interested in coming.

Please email this petition to your friends, family, anyone, or put it on Facebook and Twitter. These dangerous plans threaten to make the current crisis in the NHS much worse.
Thank you for standing with us

2016-12-06 21:24:10 +0000

100 signatures reached

2016-12-03 17:58:18 +0000

50 signatures reached

2016-12-03 10:38:10 +0000

25 signatures reached

2016-12-03 00:54:04 +0000

10 signatures reached