Candidates in May’s Town Hall elections are today being called upon to pledge to block any attempt to impose £1billion-worth of cuts to the NHS in south London.
The Croydon Assembly is meeting today at Ruskin House to discuss cuts to Croydon’s schools. But after an introductory message via video from shadow chancellor John McDonnell, the Croydon Assembly will launch its 2018 local elections manifesto, with a wide range of policy ideas and positions.
Policies on the health service represent a significant section.
“Croydon Council is an important partner in the SW London Sustainability and Transformation Partnership and has powers to endorse or reject the £1billion local cuts planned to services,” the Assembly manifesto states.
Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships, or STPs, are a Hunt-ish scheme to reduce provision under the NHS principle of “free at the point of delivery” and hand over more elements of the health service to the private sector. In south London, that could see two out of five hospitals, including St Helier, under threat of closure.
The Assembly’s manifesto states: “Funding of Croydon’s health services have been cut by government despite the borough’s rising population and increased health problems, which are partly linked to the growing social inequalities in the borough, especially the north.”
Article from Inside Croydon, 24 February 2018