Steve Brine continues his focus on the crisis facing our NHS as part of a National Action Day. See inside for story and pictures.
Winchester's Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Steve Brine, was once again focusing on the crisis in our National Health Service today (Saturday 24 March).
Steve was joined by a number of the new young activists working with the Winchester Conservatives in the High Street to talk to people about the state of the local NHS.
The Winchester & Eastleigh Trust, which runs the RHCH in Romsey Road, is currently in a desperate race against the clock to close an £11.2m deficit before the end of March. Three wards have already closed in a series of measures to cut costs and balance the books by the end of the financial year.
Steve was collecting signatures as part of a National Conservative Day of Action which calls on Chancellor Gordon Brown to halt the short-term cuts currently being forced on Trust's right across the country.
He says; "This is becoming a weekly occurence for us and we will keep on doing it because the NHS is my number one priority and judging by the response we got from our fellow Winchester residents, it is their priority also.
"We feel very strongly, as do so many members of staff from the RHCH who I have spoken to over the past few months, that this is our local hospital and we have to stand up now in support of it. I live here and rely on the RHCH as much as anyone - if I have an accident at home chopping the vegtables that is where I go.
Steve says he is proud that it is the Conservative Party that is now leading the debate on the NHS after ten wasted years under a Labour Government that has "ripped the heart out of the service with endless reorganisations and targets that simply fail to trust the professionals working within it".
He adds; "Today's Conservative Party backs the NHS, heart and soul. We will do all we can to protect and improve it. No ifs, no buts, no opt outs."
- Conservatives will put an end to pointless reorganisations.
- Conservatives will wave goodbye to the armies of management consultants with their morale-destroying blueprints for change.
- Foundation hospitals won't go, but we will improve them.
- Commissioning by GPs is right and we will make that really mean something.
- We will put people back at the heart of the NHS - we will trust the professionals.
Steve is pictured with local campaigner Rob Ducker in the High Street talking to a concerned local resident.
If you missed Steve Brine and team in Winchester, you can download the flyer they were handing out by clicking on the link in bold below.