'Defend Our NHS' rally held in York amid NHS crisis

The York and Scarborough Defend Our NHS group held the rally beside the Constantine the Great statue today (Saturday, August 6), from 11am to 1pm, encouraging members of the public to listen to their concerns about the crisis facing the NHS. 

They held protest signs and invited the public to sign a petition and recieve advice on how they could help to defend the NHS, including writing to MPs, and getting their stories out to the local and national media on how they have been impacted.

Gwen Vardigans, of the Defend Our NHS rally Picture: Don Lodge

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Gwen Vardigans, has had 40 years’ experience as an NHS nurse and is now a member of the York and Scarborough Defend Our NHS.

She said: “The NHS is now in crisis after years of austerity and underfunding, units closing down and increased privatisation, with staff shortages of around 105,000 throughout the NHS with no workforce plan.

“Huge waiting lists for treatment are growing – with waiting lists to even get on the waiting list.

“Staff feel weary and undervalued, GPs face criticism from the public but they are working as hard as they can under the stress, and nobody is gunning for them.

“We intend to hold many interactive sessions to talk to the public, in workplaces, and community centres."

The protest rally with petition signing Picture: Don Lodge

Two members of the Defend Our NHS group told The Press why they had joined the rally today.

One member told The Press of her concerns about increased privatisation.

She said: “We need to pay tax for health care so people who need it can access it, we don’t want to be like America where people have to pay to access health care.

“Little by little some treatments are becoming harder to access by the NHS, such as dentistry and ear wax removals which can make a big difference to someone who’s hearing is going, varicose veins and hip and knee replacements.

“GPs are undermined, they want to make referrals for those affected by these ailments but are limited as they are not seen as urgent enough as they are not life threatening– but they affect people’s quality of life.”

Another member was John Wane, a retired director of the York and Scarborough teaching hospital NHS foundation Trust.

He explained that the Trust covers York, the East coast from Whitby to Scarborough, Malton and Selby, and due to units closing down and staff shortages, patients are being shipped further away from their homes, leaving loved ones struggling to be able to afford to make visits.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are hugely grateful to NHS staff for their tireless work, particularly throughout the pandemic, and are putting record investment into the health service, with an extra £39 billion over the next three years.

“To help tackle the Covid backlogs, we have opened more than 90 community diagnostic centres carrying out an additional 1.5 million scans, tests and checks since July 2021. By 2025, we will roll out up to 160 community diagnostic centres across the country.

“We are also growing the health and social care workforce and there are now over 4,300 more doctors, and 10,200 more nurses compared to last year. We have commissioned NHS England to develop a long term workforce plan to recruit and support NHS staff.”