NWPC to support the Save Our NHS rally at the Conservative Party’s Manchester conference

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Members of our branch will join thousands of trade unionists who will tell the Conservative Party conference to ‘save our NHS’ as anger mounts at the effects of cuts, privatisation and the increasing fragmentation of the health service. Marchers will speak out for jobs and services as they bring their opposition to austerity to the opening Sunday of the Manchester conference.

The Save Our NHS march and rally takes place in the city on Sunday 29 September. Members from the North West Probation and CAFCASS branch are being urged to join the three-mile march, which will begin forming up on Liverpool Road near the Museum of Science and Industry at 11am.

At 12.30pm the front of the march will set off via Deansgate and John Dalton Street for Whitworth Park, where the rally will take place – opposite the Manchester Royal Infirmary – from around 2pm.

The full listing for the rally is still to be confirmed but will include a range of national and local speakers, including TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady.

Save Our NHS is being organised by the North West TUC and unions in the region. There has been close co-operation with Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council to ensure that it is a safe and family-friendly event. There is a launch event in Manchester at the Mechanic’s Institute this evening (5.30pm) to encourage charities and community organisations to get involved.

The September protest will highlight the impact of huge job losses and spending cuts across the health service, as well as the rapid sell-off of the most lucrative parts of the NHS to private healthcare companies – many of whom like Circle are also Conservative Party donors.

Commenting on the Save Our NHS event, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: ‘As the effects of the government’s NHS changes become more apparent every day, anger is growing. Before this government came to power satisfaction with the NHS was high, now it is falling as cuts, privatisation and fragmentation bite. ‘