Andy Burnham in Liverpool rally against ‘reckless’ NHS reforms

ANDY Burnham, the shadow health secretary, is to join a protest outside The Royal Liverpool Hospital against the Government’s Health & Social Care Bill. 

Organised by Liverpool’s Labour Group, the rally, on Friday January 27, has been instigated by the city’s youngest councillor, Labour's Jake Morrison, who works in the healthcare sector. 

Andy BurnhamDemonstrators, who will include doctors, nurses and trade unionists, say they fear private patients could be allowed to take up almost half of the 2,400 beds currently reserved for NHS patients across Liverpool.

"Our arrogant Prime Minister needs to be reminded that nobody voted for this re-organisation and that he doesn't have a mandate to privatise England's precious NHS,” said Mr Burnham. 

Dr Richard Wenstone, a senior medic at the Royal, also slammed the Government’s proposals. 

 “I know that everyone here in the Royal Hospital, from managers to staff, and doctors and nurses, will work as hard we can to keep as many of its beds as possible available to NHS patients,” he said. 

“But not every hospital is like the Royal. In other hospitals across the rest of the country, NHS patients will find themselves sent to the back of the queue, at hospitals which are allowed to open up almost half of their beds to private health care providers.” 

“I know that doctors all over the country are worried that the NHS isn’t safe in the Government’s hands. I am deeply concerned at the proposals which the Government are putting forwards, and I will join this demonstration to demand that Cameron and Clegg stop messing with our NHS.” 

The Bill is now in the Report stage in the House of Lords, and the debate will begin again in February. 

Boy wonderWavertree Labour Councillor Morrison, 18, who sensationally kicked the former Lib Dem council leader, Lord Mike Storey, out of office at the last elections, works as a health care assistant in a Liverpool hospital. He said: “I called for this demonstration to be held because these reckless plans will affect people in this city. 

 “I’ve got first hand experience of the world class care the NHS offers to people across Liverpool. 

“I am calling on people across Liverpool to make their voices heard, and help to defend our NHS.” 

Labour has launched a petition, at www.dropthebill.com

*Health and Social Care Bill protest, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool,  Friday January 27, 11am-3pm.