About Us

We are an independent pressure group that campaigns to protect and improve the NHS, true to its founding principles. We are a voluntary organisation, funded by supporters from the health professions and the general public. We have been campaigning in support of the NHS since 1989.

What we believe:

Everyone in our society should have access to quality healthcare no matter what their financial means. The NHS should always offer a broad range of care and organise itself to reach patients throughout the country. We believe this is possible - even with modern pressures and expectations.

The public shares the cost of the NHS through the tax system and should therefore have a say in how it works. We realise that healthcare provided through a national network is highly beneficial to our society. This is because expertise is shared and developed and care is provided on the basis of health need, not the ability to pay. Public taxation, rather than privatization, is still the fairest and most efficient way to share these costs. We believe in raising awareness about these strengths and involving the community to help build a better NHS.

What do we do?

We build campaigns to influence the direction of the NHS, to ensure that it remains a comprehensive healthcare service for all, free at the point of use. Our work involves raising awareness, influencing government about health policy, and helping NHS staff and the public to get involved in the way that their health service is run. We talk to our members, other organisations and the media to generate discussions about the direction of our health service. We organise events like conferences and lobbies and we publish research to raise awareness about the impact of policy. We provide the support that enables local people to build community campaigns and influence the future of their NHS. It is through these activities that we aim to build an independent voice that regularly monitors and contributes to improving our NHS.

Ways you can help:

You can access information on our current campaigns here. Use this information to challenge your politicians; write to your local paper; or take part in tv and radio debates. You can also support our work by affiliating or joining, available here.