By Nicole Chang and Sam Dean
The Whittington Hospital is bracing itself for disruptive strike action, organised by a hugely successful local campaigning group, on Monday morning.
The Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition (DWHC) has welcomed the walkouts by three unions, including the first ever strike action by the Royal College of Midwives.
The group, supported by the Islington Trades Union Council, intends to form a picket line outside the accident and emergency department.
On Monday 6 October, the group finalised its demands.
It opposes what it sees as government under-funding as well as encroaching privatisation of the healthcare service. It also stresses the need for an end to the premature discharging of patients before they are fit to go home.
Shirley Franklin, who chairs the DWHC, is firm about the no-compromise stance. She sees the growing number of services being tendered out to private companies as “privatisation by stealth”.
“All sorts of services people don’t clock are run by private companies,” she said.
“We can’t negotiate anything. Our position is no cuts, no privatisation.”
On Tuesday, MPs Jeremy Corbyn and David Lammy will both speak at a public meeting alongside Ms Franklin and Simon Pleydell, the Chief Executive of Whittington Health.
Featured Image: David Holt
