To ask you to help save our NHS - last chance

[larks35]

I'm probably breaking some rules here but:

Dear friends across Britain,

The battle to save the NHS is now entering its final hours. David Cameron and Andrew Lansley seem determined to drag Britain's most famous institution to its grave, but if we now stand together we can get the House of Lords to stop this bill in its tracks.

Public outrage is gripping the country as the Prime Minister persists with a bill that would dismantle the NHS and open the field to private companies. The government refuses to publish its internal report on the risks of the reforms, one reason among many why thousands of health professionals and many politicians oppose the changes. If we now build a massive outcry we can sway our last line of defence the House of Lords to save the NHS.

Let?s call on the undecided members in the House of Lords to keep the knives off our NHS and ensure we can all read the official risk report -- sign here and circulate. Our voices will ramp up the pressure as we deliver our petition when we reach key milestones between now and Monday:

www.avaaz.org/en/last_chance_to_save_the_nhs/?tta

The coalition promised no top-down reorganisation of the National Health Service. Yet it's brought in a bill that threatens to turn large chunks of the NHS over on a plate to private health care companies and cost-cutting consultants, threatening a tidal wave of privatisation that will leave our health system expensive and fragmented, with many of us getting only low-quality care. Citizens are outraged -- according to the latest polls, over half of us want the new bill to be scrapped.

Public opposition has already delayed the bill and forced several amendments, but the government is refusing to halt the reforms, wrongly insisting that opponents are just a minority group of disgruntled health care professionals and political opponents. The fight for the NHS now depends on the 200 members of the House of Lords who don't belong to a political party. They aren't used to public scrutiny, so if we target them now, we can win and ensure that any reforms of our precious health service are done in concert with health professionals and patients.

We only have until Monday to tip the balance. The recommendation to delay the debate until after the risk register has been released will throw the NHS a lifeline and allow us all to see the likely impact of this bill. Sign the petition, and send widely.

www.avaaz.org/en/last_chance_to_save_the_nhs/?tta

Britain is proud of the NHS, which has saved countless lives and won admirers across the world. Let?s act now and ensure our health care system stays free for all.

With hope,

Sam, Antonia, Alex, Alice, Jamie, Ricken and the rest of the Avaaz team

Whenever anyone suggests changing or improving the NHS, howls of anguish go up and everyone points at America. However, other European countries have a variety of models of funding, which aren't so centralised and incorporate a variety of insurance based models. The key question for me is does the NHS deliver on things like death rates for cancer? By and large, our survival rates are not as good as they could or should be compared to other European countries.

The way that older people are treated by the NHS is genuinely shocking.

During my own experience with cancer, I had brilliant treatment and surgery at a NHS hospital, was diagnosed at a private hospital, and had a charity funded nurse who helped me through the process. I also spent some time as a day patient at a wonderful hospice (Grove House in St Albans). Many cancer patients benefit hugely (as does the NHS) from the work of Macmillan and Marie Curie nurses for instance, and I've not heard anyone criticise their work on idealogical grounds. Non NHS provision doesn't have to mean private sector - it can mean the charitable sector too. A mixed model of care could improve patient outcomes and experiences - that to me is what's important.

And yet the government doesn't want us to know about the risks it has identified.

BackPack that's probably one of the most awful things I've read on here, I'm so sorry that you went through all of that, I work in the NHS and I believe that we need to keep it free and not hand it over to private firms.

In America people are given ridiculous amounts of pointless tests and procedures which bulk out and only seek to cost money and benefit the insurance companies. I also disagree with the idea that people who earn more money than others get to jump to the front and get quicker treatment.

The NHS was set up to promote free treatment at the point of access for everyone regardless of their social standing. There is a lot of waste and I disagree with this as a frontline worker, but I stand by the fact that it's one of the best services and we should be proud of it.

This isn't reform it's destruction, and absolutely abhorrent.
I have had good and bad experiences with it, but without it, FUCK.

Signed.

This bill isn't about reform, it's about asset stripping.

Signed. This bill opens the door to full competition, and once the nhs comes under EU competition law, there is no going back.
Having experienced healthcare in both the USA and UK, there is no way I want a private, expensive, over treating and disconnected healthcare system. And anyone who says the reforms should reduce bureacracy should see the amount of paperwork involved in making health insurance claim under a private or insurance based system. Much worse

When the majority of gps and royal colleges are against this bill, there is something very wrong.

Looks like avaaz will hit the 100,000 target. :) though frankly, I am surprised that far more people haven't signed. Perhaps there are other similar petitions out there?