Norman Traub writes

The annual general meeting of KONP was held in London on 12th June. There were 70-100 people present. Although branches exist in relatively few areas, KONP punches above its weight. The membership consists of healthcare workers, patients, pensioners and activists. Among the speakers were Professor Wendy Savage, co-chair of KONP, a representative of the BMA and a London GP. As opposed to the big cuts in services, fragmentation and privatisation of the NHS, to which the coalition government are committed, the demands of the speakers were for integration of services, planning and democratic control of the NHS.

The highlights of the meeting were reports from representatives of local KONP groups of the fightback against cutbacks and  privatisation of NHS services. Candy Udwin from Camden KONP reported on the successful challenge by patients and local residents in Camden against the plan of health authority to hand control of a new super-sized doctors’ surgery to a private company. They argued that they had not been consulted about the plan and the health authorities were forced to withdraw their proposal.

Another KONP representative reported on the campaign of  an organisation to stop the  closure of the  A&E department at the Whittington Hospital in North London. The climax of the campaign of resistance was a march by thousands to the Whittington Hospital.  The campaign group, in which the trade unions and KONP played an important part, united health workers at the hospital with patients and residents in the area in this successful struggle.

It was announced at the meeting that there was to be a protest in London on budget day, 22nd June against the cuts in public services. There was an eagerness by trade unionists and KONP members at the meeting to become involved in the  anti-cuts campaign  . Their experience in defending the principles on which the NHS was founded, should be utilised in the  setting up of the proposed anti-cuts committees.