Poll: How to save our NHS?

Photograph by 38 Degrees

Over the past year, we’ve had some big successes in the Save Our NHS campaign. We helped force the government to delay introducing their changes and launch a “listening exercise” which reigned in some of the dodgiest parts of the plan. We raised money to bring in expert lawyers, helping to push the House of Lords to demand further amendments. Over half a million of us have been involved in the campaign so far – signing petitions, sending e-mails, donating money, meeting up locally – and the difference we have made has been huge.

Andrew Lansley’s plans look different to when we started. We’ve helped force him for example to row back from scrapping his legal responsibility for providing health service. But at the same time, the plans still look pretty bad – just last week, the Royal College of GPs warned that they will “cause irreparable damage to patient care and jeopardise the NHS”.

So, what should 38 Degrees members do together next? Should we continue to focus on trying to amend the plans, zooming in on dangerous proposals to extend competition and privatisation in the NHS? Or is it instead time to change tack and campaign the whole plan to be scrapped – a longshot, but possibly more in line with what we’d like to see in an ideal world?

We can do more than one thing at once, but we can’t do everything. We have the most impact when we focus. So please share your thoughts by doing the 2 minute survey here.