Minutes of DWHC Planning Meeting 7th March 2011

1. Present

Shirley Franklin, Mick Gilgunn, David Emmett, Andrew Robins, Ian Shacklock, Jem Lindon

2. Apologies

Kate Wilkinson, Jan Pollock, Katy Gold

3. Mins of last Meeting

(10th Jan). 6 people attended last meeting. Discussed future events, incluing the IHOOPS and TUC marches.

4. General Update

David will be attending board meetings of Whittington (via Link)

Shirley and Jem walked 5 miles on a demo, in Ilford, against the King George’s A&E closure. Shirley spoke at this demo. It was organised by Sikhs.

5 MPs are backing the campaign to save Chase Farm. A demo is scheduled on Thursday to coincide with the meeting with Lansley.

PFI costs (e.g. for the Barts and London) have become extortionate. On average, they have cost ten times the original building costs.

The PCTs for all 5 boroughs have been merged into a composite one for NCL. This has involved a national redundancy bill of £50M. The Whittington agenda is to save £6.9M from April onwards. Further information is available on the NCL website (see under NCL Stakeholders Event, 3rd Mar 2011). David agreed to synthesise this information.

The Whittington Hospital is being renamed as Whittington Health as of 1st April. It was never in the red but it is not big enough to be a viable foundation trust. Whittington Health covers everything for Islington and all adult care for Haringey, and is now bidding to take over Haringey children services. It is aiming to become an ICO (Integrated Care Organisation)

David stated that NHS Choices is not available to ethnic minorities,because of language barriers.

Shirley was at the Grove Centre and the people who took part in the survey were supplied with a booklet named “Easy Read Booklet”. There is a £12M yearly cut in Camden and Islngton mental health care.

5. Website

Ian has renewed the domain and service for a further 6 months.

6. Treasurer’s Report

Current Balance is £498.62.

7. Keep Our NHS Public (KONP)

Ian to write to Wendy Savage, to establish whether DWHC is already a paid up affiliate of KONP.

Ian to try to add the KONP logo to the website with the words “affilated to KONP”.

8. Future events