Campaign Advice
- Make sure you and/or your group has signed up to the Keep Our NHS Public statement and you have supplied your contact details to the campaign.
- Collect signatures for the KONP petition.
- Invite local groups and organisations to discuss and adopt a resolution supporting the Keep Our NHS Public campaign.
- Circulate the Keep Our NHS Public campaign leaflets and briefing papers to interested groups and individuals in your area. (www.keepournhspublic.com)
- Write a letter to your local paper to raise awareness about NHS privatisation.
- Contact your local trade union branch and other groups who might be able help you to campaign locally.
- Hold a public meeting in your area and invite a speaker from the Keep Our NHS Public campaign.
- Use the model letter on the Keep Our NHS Public website (www.keepournhspublic.com) to write to your MP asking them to raise the issue with ministers, or attend the MP's surgery in person (they will often take more notice of a personal approach than just a written one). You can also get a copy of the model letter from the NHS Support Federation, Community Base, 113 Queens Roadd, Brighton, BN1 3XG.
- Encourage others to write to their MP, or to speak to the MP at their surgery.
- Let the Keep Our NHS Public campaign know what you are doing in your area.
- Attend meetings of local NHS bodies and NHS Scrutiny Committees, not just to collect information but to challenge decision makers.
- Make your campaigning efforts visible. Get to know your local media and try to think of ways to maintain their interest in your campaign.
There are many ways of getting your message across. Below are some of the more established methods, which are often still the most effective. However, it is a good idea to think as creatively as possible.
Writing to the press
Letters sent to newspaper editors can be an effective way to raise the profile of an issue. Local councillors and MPs always read the local paper to pick up on issues. Letters can often start a debate, which can then develop into a full-scale news story.
Sample letter
Dear Editor
I am very concerned about the way that private sector is expanding at the the cost of the NHS. We were told by the government that private providers were being used to help treat NHS patients faster. Now it seems NHS services are being transferred into private hands and out of the NHS altogether.(insert local example where possible).
Already many local hospitals are facing mounting debts as private providers take the simple profitable cases but leave the more expensive and complex cases to the NHS. Staff can now be poached or transferred into the private sector and those that remain lack the mix of cases to progress their training.
Even the government admits outsourcing is expensive, lowest estimates put the cost at 10% more than the NHS. No one would deny that this money should be spent to get faster care for patients, but surely not on simply transferring services out of the NHS. We need to expand NHS services not undermine them. If fast tack treatment centres are a good idea why not continue to expand the few that are currently run and managed by the NHS.
Yours, _______
Letter writing campaigns
If you are co-ordinating a letter writing campaign, draft a model letter for others to adapt. This will ensure all letters sent are putting across the same message and contain the same key facts, but leave room for people to insert details of their own circumstances. This will highlight the impact of what you are campaigning about on particular individuals.
Writing as an individual or group
At the beginning of your campaign writing letters is a good first step in raising awareness of your issue and making contact with people who share your concerns. Try to make contact with local people of influence, as well as local groups and individuals who could help.
maximise the impact of your letter
· Make it clear what you want the decision-maker to do.
· Use clear and direct questions. This encourages the respondent to address your specific concerns.
· Keep your letter short and to the point.
Petitions
Petitions help to rally support – and help to identify your supporters. We are aiming to get large numbers to support the KONP petition, which can be downloaded from the website www.keepourNHSpublic.com or copied from this document. You can help by collecting signatures from colleagues and friends and by finding other groups that would be willing to do the same. Send in your completed petition forms to the NHS Support Federation (page 2)
You may also want to localise your petition to highlight the level of concern about specific proposals to change your local health services
Presenting your own petition
You can petition Parliament or a specific Government minister. This rarely leads to action by Parliament but is a useful means of gaining publicity. If you want to do this, the petition must be drawn up in a specific way. Particular wording is also required. Your local MP should also be able to find out the correct wording through the Journal Office in the House of Commons by asking for the "Rules concerning Public Petitions."
In recent years, Internet petitions have become a new way of campaigning. If you know someone with the right experience, they may be able to help you develop a website for your campaign. It shouldn't be too difficult for them to set up a petition, either through the website or through an e-mail campaign. This could be a very good way to reach a wider audience.
Organise a public meeting
This is not as hard as you might think and can really help to galvanise support and motivate people into action. The support of a local group will make this much easier, try your local union branch, as they may have access to venues and be able to suggest speakers. Make contact with the local paper they maybe willing to help advertise your event, perhaps through a story about your local NHS.
Clearly if prominent local people are involved, like your MP then that will help to spark interest and attendance. Don’t forget the human side, local NHS staff will be able to help explain to the meeting how privatisation will affect local people's experience of healthcare. Contact the KNOP campaign if you are planning an event and would like us to try and provide a speaker.
Publicity stunts
These are events that are designed to get media attention. You don't have to dress as bat man and scale the queen's balcony, but finding a way to visually portray the campaign can be effective. The Canadian health campaign used a huge trojan horse to explain the insidious nature of their campaign issue. This was produced media coverage in every region that it appeared. The more original, the more likely you will be to get attention. These events will only work if you make sure the media know what you are planning. It can be easier if you are providing something for the media to shoot on a day when you know they will be covering your issue. eg before a key health vote in Parliament
Leaflets
Leafleting can be an effective way to present information about your campaign in a simple and accessible way. The keep our NHS public leaflets are available from the website or from the NHS Support Federation. These might be useful if you plan to have a stall in your town centre, particularly if you are trying to get
people to sign the petition.
tips for producing effective leaflets:
· keep it simple, no jargon
· use snappy headlines, small amounts of text and lots of pictures
· make sure the print is easy to read.
If there are public meetings coming up, make sure you put the details on your leaflet.
There are some legal requirements to consider if you are going to publish a leaflet. You must always include the contact details of your organisation. If you are a registered charity, you must include your registration number.
· Give the name of the group or person publishing the leaflet, along with contact details.
· Say if you are a registered charity and give your charity name and number, and your registered office address
Holding a demonstration or a lobby
These can be an excellent way to get publicity, especially if attended by a large number of people. Be prepared for other groups to attend. Also think about how others will perceive your action, and whether this will help or hinder your campaign.
The success or failure of a demonstration or lobby can depend almost on how many people turn up, so make sure it is well advertised and that the press publicises the event. Get a speaker to say a few words at the event to remind people why they are doing it. eg a health worker, you could contact your local unison branch for their help.
If you can’t get large numbers make it colourful or use a visual gimmick to sell it to the media. A good picture opportunity can give you prominent media coverage
The media response to your demonstration is very important. Send out a press release before the event to make sure that the press know about it and can send a journalist. Journalists will almost certainly want to talk to somebody who is taking part, so decide in advance who is going to speak and what they will say.
Demonstrations have to meet certain legal requirements, so make sure you are aware of these.
Lobby of Parliament
If you are planning to lobby an MP in Parliament make sure he will be there on that day. Alternatively MPs pay particular notice to those people that lobby them at their surgery, usually held once a week in their local constituency.
An organised mass lobby, where a large amount of people lobby their respective MPs in Parliament, can help to give MPs the impression that an issue has really caught the public's imagination. Organising a mass lobby should be done through the Sergeant at Arms at Westminster (www.parliament.uk - 0207 2193000)
Direct action
This is a campaigning method where the people involved take action that has a direct impact on the situation. For example, staging a sit-in to prevent your day centre shutting, boycotting goods, or lying down in the road to stop traffic.
Direct action may involve breaking the law. If you are in any doubt, you should seek legal advice before taking direct action. Although direct action can be very successful in raising public awareness, it runs the risk of alienating potential supporters. Some people may sympathise with the cause, but might be unwilling to support a campaign using these tactics, especially if they are breaking the law.
If you do want to undertake direct action, take legal advice and think through the implications carefully. Make sure that everybody who takes part agrees with the action and knows of any risks they may be taking.
Staying in touch with what decisions are being made about your local NHS is crucial. You can track these through the meetings and minutes of your local NHs bodies. Traditionally their meetings are open to the public but are poorly attended, speaking rights vary and are usually at the discretion of the chair. NHS bodies are obliged to enter into consultation over major strategic changes. If you are in regular contact with these bodies you will find out about this process and the associated meetings and be able to encourage others to attend too.
Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are locally organised bodies which, together, are responsible for around 75% of the allocated NHS budget. They work with local authorities and other agencies that provide health and social care locally to make sure that the local community's needs are being met. Areas of responsibility include GP practices, dental surgeries and pharmacies. They are therefore ideally placed to tell you about the condition of local services, and current developments within the NHS in your area.
To identify your local PCT call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or visit the NHS website at http://www.nhs.uk/England/AuthoritiesTrusts/Pct/townSearch.aspx, where you will then be directed to the PCT's website (under the General Contact heading on the right hand side bar). Whether you speak to NHS Direct or visit your PCT's website, contact details of relevant individuals within the PCT should be easily available.
You should be able to find information (either on the PCT website or through NHS Direct) about board meetings - when and where they are held, whether they are open to the public, minutes of previous meetings and agendas of forthcoming meetings. It is possible that some information, e.g. forthcoming agendas, is not immediately accessible via the PCT website, and might need to be requested from the board secretary. Also. if you have a question which does not relate to a specific item on the agenda of the particular board meeting, you might be required to submit this in writing in advance. You should therefore check the procedures of your PCT.
Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) manage the local NHS on behalf of the Secretary of State, and are tasked with developing plans for improving health services; ensuring the high quality and performance of local services; increasing capacity; and ensuring that national priorities, e.g programmes for improving cancer services, are integrated into local health service plans.
As with PCTs, you can identify your SHA by calling NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or by visiting the NHS website (http://www.nhs.uk/england/authoritiestrusts/sha/default.aspx). On the NHS website, you can find your local SHA website in a similar way to that used to locate your PCT website.
Copies of agendas, minutes and other board papers should all be available on the SHA website or via NHS Direct. However, some documents might be needed to be requested from the board secretary, so some research is advisable preparatory to attending any public board meetings.
Useful websites:
Department of Health http://www.dh.gov.uk/Home/fs/en
Need more information? – Freedom of Information
In cases where you are looking for information concerning a PCT, SHA, or the Department of Health more broadly, and you have been unable to get that information from the relevant body, the UK Freedom of Information Act should be able to help you. Unless the particular public body has a valid reason, as defined by the Act, to withhold the information requested, they are obliged to provide it to you within 20 days, subject to certain exemptions and extensions. For a comprehensive explanation of how the Act works and how it can be utilised, see the website of the Campaign for Freedom of Information at http://www.cfoi.org.uk/pdf/foi_guide.pdf.
One of the simplest things an MP can do for you is to write a letter to a government minister. An MP should get a non-standard response, directly from the minister. The MP may not agree with your point of view but is obliged to write to the relevant minister outlining your concerns and asking for a reply. The MP will then forward this reply to you.
Other actions that MPs can take include signing up to a parliamentary motion showing support for a particular issue, asking a specific question in Parliament, or requesting a debate in Parliament. In general the support of your MP can help to 'open doors' that will help you to progress your campaign
If you are holding an event invite your MP along. Their name, alongside other prominent local people, at the head of a petition may encourage others to sign and their involvement in your campaign may help to get local press interested. But be careful not to be too closely aligned to one political party if you are worried about appealing to the widest possible audience.
Is is worth keeping in touch with my MP? Yes. The more MPs hear about an issue from their constituents, the more likely they are to take action.
Do I need to be an expert? No, MPs need to keep on top of a wide range of issues. Often you will know more about a particular issue than your MP. And your MP may well be grateful for any information you can provide.
Does it matter which party my MP belongs to? No. The party in power formulates current government policy, but all MPs have influence that they can use in Parliament or in the Government.
What if my MP shows no particular interest in the use of private healthcare providers in the NHS?
Even if your MP does not immediately appear to be interested in the use of private healthcare providers in the NHS, it's essential for you to keep raising your concerns. It may take time to see results, but it is worth persisting. Ultimately it is always MPs' responsibility to pass on the issues you raise, whatever their own priorities.
MPs may well take up your case as an individual or group if you have already been in touch with other agencies and have not had a satisfactory result. They can contact the agencies and take matters up with them directly. They will be more likely to take up a case for you if you are contacting them as a "last resort" and can show that you have already tried to sort out the matter yourself, but have hit a dead end.
MPs are also very useful if you are contacting the media. If your local MP is involved in an issue, you are more likely to get media interest in your campaign, which will mean more publicity. Photocalls with your MP are a particularly good way of gaining media interest. You can also ask for your MP's comments on an issue before you present your story to the press, television or radio. The media will be more likely to seek the opinion of the MP when they write the story. This will get the story more publicity and also make sure the MP states their view publicly.
If your MP sees a link between your issue and a wider problem, they will be more likely to take it up in Westminster. It is a good idea to look for ways in which your issue might be part of the wider political picture. A good MP should do what they can, both locally and nationally, to support your case, and should be able to give you an idea of how they can help you.
How to contact your MP
Remember that it is your MP's job to represent you. It doesn't matter whether or not you voted for them. If you don't know who your MP is, you can find out from the local library or Citizens Advice Bureau, or you can contact the electoral registration office at your local town hall. Alternatively you can consult the website www.parliament.co.uk. You can write to your MP or go to see them. You should always write first. Most MPs hold a "surgery" in their constituency, where you can see them personally. It is usually held once a week or once a month. Details of the surgery are often advertised in local newspapers, or you can try asking at your local library. Alternatively, you can contact them through their office at the House of Commons. Address your letter as follows:
Name of MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
You can also telephone your MP's office there. The number is:
020 7219 3000.
Meeting your MP
You can meet your MP at their surgery, or you can ask them to attend a more formal meeting with a group of you to discuss issues. This gives them a bit of information about your campaign and means they will have the time to find out more before you meet, so you will be able to have a more productive discussion. Keep your letter short and to the point - preferably about one side of A4. Follow your letter with a telephone call to arrange a meeting.
When you meet your MP, be clear about what you want to say and what you want them to do. Bring your facts and show clearly why you need what you are asking for. Include somebody in the group who has personal experience of the issues you are talking about, so they can explain how they have been affected. If it is relevant, point out how many people in the constituency you represent, or how many people are affected by your issue.
Everybody has a right to visit their MP at the House of Commons and to ask to speak to them about their concerns. MPs have to make every effort to meet constituents when they do this. Making the effort to lobby your MP this way will show them you think the issue is really important. Mass lobbies of Parliament are a good way of letting Mps know how strongly people feel. Lots of people attending a lobby at the House of Commons can attract media attention, especially if the people attending represent different groups of people. Mass lobbies are usually organised by local or national pressure groups.
The advantages and disadvantages of a lobby of Parliament are very similar to a lobby of your local council. There are rules concerning lobbies of Parliament, so make sure you are aware of these. For parliamentary lobbies, you will need to contact the House of
Commons' Sergeant at Arms. If you are expecting a large number of people, you should also contact the police.
The only limits here are your time, money and energy. Building a network of contacts will be invaluable as your campaign develops. You might decide to put them all on and an email list and send them a short update to keep them in touch with the campaign. One of the key aspects is getting a team of people who share your concerns to help you and not to try and to do everything yourself. Here is list of people your could contact
Contacts list
Your MP
local journalists
religious leaders
community groups
social clubs
carers groups
disability charities
local charities
local councillors
NHS staff
Unison branches
local GPs
local political parties
local academics
Patients Forums
students union
Tabling a resolution gives you the opportunity to explain the campaign to people who may not have heard about it yet. Having resolutions passed all over the UK by a wide range of organisations and groups will demonstrate the breadth and depth of support for a publicly owned, publicly resourced and publicly accountable NHS. A resolution can specify particular actions that will be taken in support of a truly public NHS and can provide a basis for further action.
Many different organisations can pass resolutions including:
· trade-union branches
· branches of political parties
· community groups.
· local church councils
· women's groups - for example, a local Women's Institute or Mothers' Union group
· local authorities - town or county councils
· students' unions
Think about the different sorts of organisations and groups in your area. There may be more opportunities than you think.
Where do I start?
Find out the date of the next meeting and check whether there is a particular format to follow to table a resolution. If you are approaching your local authority, there is usually a legal officer or a constitutional support officer who can explain the process. The resolution, or motion, will probably need to be tabled by a councillor rather than a member of the public, so find out whether any councillors are sympathetic to the campaign.
Passing a resolution is not an end in itself. The real impact will depend on how you follow it up. Above all make sure the action points in the resolution are actually carried out. Make sure that people hear about it - tell your local newspaper, parish magazine or organisation's newsletter about the resolution. Take a photo at the meeting where the resolution is passed or organise a photo stunt afterwards - this could accompany any articles that are published.
(Name of group/union/council) notes that:
- The Government is intent on creating an NHS market and outsourcing work to the private healthcare sector.
- So far, outsourcing contracts to the private sector has raised costs and yet NHS trusts have been prevented from bidding for some of this work
- There has been widespread criticism including that from NHS staff who have highlighted the drain on NHS resources and the impact on crucial areas such as NHS staff training.
We believe
- The current policy goes even further than the “internal market” policy of the previous government.
- The opening of the NHS to competition with private healthcare providers will force different trusts and other sectors of the NHS to act in competition with each other rather than sharing information and resources in a collaborating network.
- Greater inequalities and problems with access in healthcare will appear, as market driven incentives undermine needs based healthcare.
We resolve to:
Support the Keep Our NHS Public campaign by:
- Writing to our local MPs to urge them to add their support
- Encouraging our members/congregation (adapt as appropriate) to take part in campaign actions and events in support of a publicly owned, publicly resourced and publicly accountable NHS.
Write to our national organisation/board/council (adapt as appropriate) to tell them about this resolution, and urge them to pass a similar motion of support/to become a member of the Keep Our NHS Public campaign.
The first stage of this process is often the publication of a Green Paper. This is a consultation document that includes a series of proposals. It is designed to get responses from interested parties who might be affected by the proposals. Mencap always submits a formal response to proposals that are likely to have an impact on the lives of people with a learning disability.
The Government department then considers all the responses, and final proposals are drawn up. They are agreed by the Prime Minister and the cabinet, then published as a White Paper. Sometimes there will be further opportunity for comment at this stage.
If the Government decides legislation is needed to put its proposals into practice, it will develop a bill. It announces the bill in the Queen's Speech at the beginning of the Parliamentary session. Then the bill can go to Parliament. It can be introduced in either of the two Houses, the House of Commons or the House of Lords, but it has to be passed by both Houses before it becomes law.
First reading
This is really a formality. The title of the bill is read in the House and an order is made for it to be printed and made available for consultation before a second reading.
Second reading
This is normally two weeks later. This is the occasion for major debate on the principles of the bill. At the end of the debate, a vote is taken. If the vote is carried, this means the House accepts the bill in principle and it can go to committee stage.
Committee stage
A standing committee is established to consider the bill in detail. The committee looks at the bill line by line. This is when amendments and new clauses to the bill are taken for the first time. In the House of Commons, the committee is normally a group of between 18 and 40 MPs from all three main parties. In the House of Lords, the committee stage is taken on the floor of the house and therefore includes all the members of the Lords.
This is a good opportunity to lobby for changes to the bill by briefing MPs who are on the standing committee, and peers.
Report stage
When amendments accepted by the standing committee have been printed, the committee chair reports back to the House and brings the amended bill back to the House. The House then debates the amendments. Additional amendments can be introduced at this stage. This is the last opportunity to push for an amendment.
Third reading
This is the final opportunity to debate and vote on the amended bill. It is usually a formality and is often taken on the same day as the reportstage.
The House of Commons and the House of Lords
A bill can start in the House of Commons or the House of Lords, but it must be agreed, with any amendments, by both Houses. If a bill starts in the Commons, it goes through all the stages there first and must then go through exactly the same process in the Lords. A bill starting in the Lords goes through the same procedure in the Lords first, and then in the Commons.
When the Houses do not agree, the bill is considered by each in turn until a compromise can be reached.
Royal Assent
When both Houses have agreed on identical versions of the bill, it is ready to receive Royal Assent, which is the Queen's approval. At this stage it becomes an Act of Parliament and passes into law.
News Release,
Keep Our NHS Public
use: immediate
Frank Dobson leads NHS staff, academics and
celebrities against NHS market reform
Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson is leading an alliance of prominent medics, academics and celebrities in the launch of a new campaign to oppose the government's use of the private sector and market based solutions in the NHS. Launched at the start of Labour Party conference, under the banner Keep our NHS Public it is calling for a halt to the race to outsource NHS work to the private sector and a rethink on the plans to introduce open competition amongst NHS and private healthcare providers.
Prominent figures on the health sector have been joined by celebrities in signing the launch statement, including
Sir Sandy Macara - ex chair of the BMA
Dr Mac Armstrong - ex chief medical officer Scotland
Frank Dobson - former health sceretary
Prof Allyson Pollock - public health academic and writer
Dave Prentis - Unison General Secretary
Prof Harry Keen - President, NHS Support Federation
Philip Pullman author, Amber Spyglass
Andrew Motion, Poet Laureate
Stephen Fry. writer, comedian
John Bird & John Fortune, comedians
Claire Rayner, writer and broadcaster
Claire Tomalin, Whitbread winning author
Francis Wheen, journalist, writer
George Monbiot, journalist, writer
Nick Hornby, author
The launch statement states that
"The NHS stands at a crossroads. For nearly 60 years Britain has enjoyed a National Health Service that strives to be comprehensive, accessible and high value for money. Now, government reforms threaten both the ethos of the NHS, and the planned and equitable way in which it delivers care to"
Paul Evans, Director of the NHS Support Federation said "People are starting to wake up to the implications of the market based reform agenda. We need to stop and rethink these porposals as they are undermining the core ideals of the health service and I think are out of step with what the public wants."
The campaign is being organised by the NHS Consultants Association, London Health Emergency and NHS Support Federation pro NHS pressure groups, made-up of concerned members of the public and health staff. More information and opportunity to read and sign the launch statement can be found at www.keepournhspublic.com
for more contact
Paul Evans, NHS Support Federation xxxxxxxxxx
M. Lattimer, The Campaigning Handbook, Directory of Social Change,
1994. A comprehensive look at various techniques and strategies.
Useful websites
www.healthemergency.org.uk
www.guardianonline.co.uk
www.nhs.uk/localnhsservices/default.asp - A full directory of English health services
www.nhs.uk/nhsguide/home.htm
www.parliament.uk - Look up people and offices, access information about papers.
www.nhs.uk/nhsguide/home.htm
www.epolitx.org.uk
www.askyourmp.co.uk - provides an easy way to search for Members of Parliament in the UK. The directory also contains MEPs. The contact details include preferred phone numbers and addresses, along with constituency names and in many cases e-mail addresses.
www.wrx.zen.co.uk/britnews.htm - All the national and regional newspapers published online. Major magazines
www.PetitionOnline.com provides - free online hosting of public petitions for responsible public advocacy.
www.bmj.com
www.kingsfund.org.uk
www.rightocare.org.uk
The pace of current reform to the NHS is very rapid. Below are explanations of some of the new structures and organisations to appear.
Healthcare Commission
The Healthcare Commission promotes improvement in the quality in both the NHS and independent healthcare. The Commission has a statuory duty to assess the performance of healthcare organisations, award annual performance ratings for the NHS and coordinate reviews of healthcare by others.
The Commission is also required to regulate the independent healthcare sector through registration, annual inspection, monitoring complaints and enforcement. It should also consider complaints about NHS organisations that the organisations themselves have not resolved.
The Commission is required to pay particular attention to the availability of, access to, quality and effectiveness of healthcare; the economy and efficiency of the provision of healthcare; the availability and quality of information provided to the public about healthcare; the need to safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of children and the effectiveness of measures taken to do so
Health authorities
England's 95 health authorities ceased to exist from April 2002 and passed many of their responsibilities to primary care trusts. They have been replaced by 28 larger health authorities. These will be known as 'strategic health authorities' from October 2002.
These strategic health authorities are responsible for developing strategies for local health services and ensuring high-quality performance. They manage the NHS locally and will be a key link between The Department of Health and the NHS. They will also ensure that national priorities, such as programmes for improving cancer services, are integrated into local plans.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)
NICE is a new body set up in April 1999 to promote the highest quality of treatment and technology in the NHS and the cost-effectiveness of NHS services. It gives advice on best clinical practice to the NHS, to those commissioning NHS services (strategic health authorities and primary care groups / trusts), and to patients and their carers.
NICE is a partnership between the Department of Health, the NHS, health professionals and patients. Guidelines set by NICE will be used across the country, helping to end geographical variations in care that have grown up in recent years.
National service frameworks (NSF)
NSFs help establish clear national standards for services to improve quality and reduce unacceptable variations in standards of care and treatment. There are NSFs for coronary heart disease, mental health, older people, and the NHS Cancer Plan. NSFs for children, diabetes, and renal (kidney) services are also being developed.
www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/coronary1.htm
www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/mentalhealth
www.doh.gov.uk/olderpeople.htm
www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/renal.htm
www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/children.htm
www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/diabetes/index.htm
www.doh.gov.uk/cancer/cancerplan.htm
NHS trusts
Hospital trusts are found in most large towns and cities, and usually offer a general range of services to meet most people's needs. Some trusts also act as regional or national centres of expertise for more specialised care, while some are attached to universities and help to train health professionals.
Trusts can also provide services in the community - for example through health centres, clinics or in people's homes.
Except in the case of emergencies, hospital treatment is arranged through your GP. This is called a referral. Appointments and treatment are free.
Together, NHS trusts employ the majority of the NHS workforce including nurses, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, midwives, health visitors and staff from the professions allied to medicine, such as physiotherapists, radiographers, podiatrists, speech and language therapists, counsellors, occupational therapists and psychologists. There are many other staff including receptionists, porters, cleaners, IT specialists, managers, engineers, caterers, and domestic and security staff.
Primary care trusts (PCTs)
PCTs are the cornerstone of the NHS, responsible for the planning and securing of health services and improving the health of the local population.
For example, PCTs must make sure there are enough GPs to provide for their population and that they are accessible to patients. PCTs must also ensure the provision of other health services including hospitals, dentists, mental health care, Walk-In Centres, NHS Direct, patient transport (including accident and emergency), population screening, pharmacies and opticians. In addition, they are responsible for integrating health and social care so the two systems work together for patients.
PCTs are given the funding to plan and commission health services for their local communities - a role previously carried out by health authorities. Eventually they control 75 per cent of the NHS budget.
Strategic health authorities
England's 95 health authorities ceased to exist from April 2002 and passed many of their responsibilities to primary care trusts. They have been replaced by 28 larger health authorities.
These have been known as 'strategic health authorities' from October 2002.
These new strategic health authorities are responsible for developing strategies for local health services and ensuring high-quality performance. Their remit is to manage the NHS locally and to act as a key link between The Department of Health and the NHS.
An Early Day Motion, or EDM, is a motion put down ("tabled") by Members of Parliament calling for a debate on a particular subject. In practice, there is rarely time to debate EDMs nowadays and their true modern-day purpose is to enable MPs to draw attention to an issue and to canvass support for their views by inviting other Members to add their signatures in support of the motion. Members may also table amendments to existing EDMs. The House of Commons Factsheet Series P no 3 on Early Day Motions, which is available for downloading in PDF format, gives more information about EDMs.