Students plan to demonstrate against cuts to the NHS and the government\u2019s austerity programme next week.<\/p>\n
Around 30,000 people are expected to turn out to protest at the Conservative Party Conference which will take place in Manchester this year. The rally was called by the Trade Union Congress to raise awareness of NHS cuts and increased privatisation.<\/p>\n
Frances O\u2019Grady, General Secretary of the TUC said: \u201cThis September\u2019s march and rally will allow thousands of ordinary people to show the government exactly what they think of their policies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAusterity is having a devastating effect on our communities and services, with 21,000 NHS jobs lost over the last three months alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe NHS is one of Britain\u2019s finest achievements and we will not allow ministers to destroy, through cuts and privatisation, what has taken generations to build.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both the University\u2019s Save Our NHS society and the Student\u2019s Union are supporting the demonstration.<\/p>\n
Ellen Mclaughlin, co-chair of the Save Our NHS society said: \u201cIt is crucial that we send a message to the Tories that we will defend our NHS against cuts, closures and privatisation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have seen thousands of nurses sacked across the country, and many of our NHS contracts sold off to the highest bidder, rather than the best quality provider- and this is just the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to show the government that young people value their NHS and won\u2019t sit quietly whilst it is ripped apart. We therefore encourage any student who cares for their health service to join us at the demo!\u201d<\/p>\n
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has stood by the government\u2019s re-organisation of the NHS, suggesting that the health service needs to make efficiency savings or risk facing a bleak future. He has also argued that increased competition within the NHS for contracts will result in improved standards of care.<\/p>\n
The Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham, who is to speak at the rally, has condemned NHS job cuts in his blog.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is clear that the NHS simply cannot continue to take nursing cuts on this scale and maintain standards of patient care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDavid Cameron must urgently intervene to ensure safe staffing levels in our hospitals. These dangerous cuts show that you can\u2019t trust the Tories with the NHS.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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