I joined the Socialist Health Association because I feel that it is important that we have a single group fighting for our NHS. It surprised me that Staffordshire and Stoke does not have a branch and given our status as being the worst Capped Expenditure Process and with some of the worst problems experienced by our acute hospital the Royal Stoke, and that it seems lessons learned from Mid-Staffs are being forgotten, I strongly believe this area needs representation and coordination.
I am a councillor for Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and have sat on the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee since being elected in 2016. I have also submitted a motion to council for us to take on the Mental Health Challenge which was unanimously passed. I am also the chair of our Save Bradwell Hospital campaign, fighting the CCG attempts to close our Community Hospitals in North Staffordshire. Our campaign has resulted in North Staffordshire campaigns combining together to form NHS Care for All campaign to take the fight to parliament, with our holding a meeting in Westminster this Wednesday to make the case to Shadow Ministers and representatives of Staffordshire STP and CCG. I am a university lecturer working in Health Informatics and have long been involved in aspects of healthcare having had my first position as aresearcher at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
I am a strong campaigner, I am committed to saving the NHS and fighting for better integrated health and social care. I believe we should be having a national drive to have the NHS Reinstatement Bill tabled and to educate the public on this bill and to develop a strong call for it. At the moment groups are campaigning all over the country and despite marches and petitions the dismantling of our NHS continues. We cannot wait for a Labour Government, we need action NOW and I believe the Socialist Health Association has a strong role to play in this.
Dr Allison Gardner
Councillor for Chesterton Ward