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From The Socialist newspaper, 20 February 2008
Cambridge:
Fighting back and building a demo
HEALTH ACTIVISTS, trade unionists and campaigners met in Cambridge recently to re-launch the local Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) branch. The main issue was the possible closure or outsourcing of wards at Brookfields Hospital.
Steve Sweeney
Other areas under threat include the Drug Rehabilitation service, Supported Living and the laundry service at Addenbrooke's, all of which face being taken over by the private sector whose main priority will be its shareholders, not the service users.
Cambridge has already seen savage cuts in mental health services with a quarter of 'elderly mentally ill' beds and a third of acute adult inpatient beds closed in 2006.
KONP, trade unions and local groups opposed this, culminating in a demonstration of 500 people marching through the city, the largest in Cambridge for 20 years.
The group agreed to make a written response to the consultation document and print postcards to be distributed for the public to send to the Primary Care Trust calling for Brookfields to remain a fully funded, publicly owned, democratically run NHS hospital.
A demonstration has been called for 5 April, two days before the PCT decision on Brookfields' future is announced.
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In The Socialist 20 February 2008:
Demonstration
Socialist Party news
Stop the witch-hunt: Defend the Sheridan 7
Prison officers fight Labour's strike ban
Battle for Shropshire schools goes on
Coventry protests at Widdecombe's attacks
Football: Top of the League for greed
Socialist Party Marxist analysis
Northern Rock - Labour's reluctant nationalisation
1918-2008: Clause 4 and nine decades of workers' struggles
Socialist Party NHS campaign
London's health care under further attack
Fighting back and building a demo
"Not making sufficient profit"
Socialist Students
Universities in crisis: Fees favour the rich
Exeter students fight privatisation
International socialist news and analysis
Kosovan independence - a dangerous mirage?
Greece: Second general strike in two months
Socialist Party review
Science, Marxism and the big bang
Socialist Party workplace news
It's official - Unison launches witch-hunt on Socialist Party
Socialist gains in Unison branch elections
Collection cuts and bullying equals bin strike!
Victory for council street wardens
Workplace news in brief
Marching against single status
Solidarity with Pakistan workers
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