NHS problems continue. Homerton Hospital managers want to privatise patient transport, and drive through further cuts in maternity services, with midwives facing redundancy. At the Primary Care Trust, staff were made redundant on 30th June. The Primary Care Trust has also decided to go ahead with the privatisation of Stoke Newington Church Street GP Practice.

Stop press news: City and Hackney Primary Care Trust issued seven compulsory redundancies yesterday, with more expected over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve had a small but significant victory locally, holding up an attempt to transfer yet another local GP surgery to the private sector. We will need to discuss how to build on this success.

The demonstration on Saturday was a tremendous success, attracting around 300 in Hackney, and joined for a joint rally by a further 200 from Tower Hamlets. The march was representative of the full range of health workers, with doctors, nurses, therapists, advocates, and support workers of all kinds.

Local NHS cuts continue to deepen. The Homerton Hospital, as part of a £7 million cuts package, has axed 10 maternity beds. In the next round of cuts, it's overwhelmingly likely that midwives will lose their jobs. This is really serious. The Homerton is where most Hackney women have their babies. Cuts on this scale will inevitably mean a worse service for local women.

From Gill George, Keep Hackney NHS Public

The joint 'Keep Our NHS Public' meeting last week was a very well-attended and positive one, with campaigners present from across London.

by Gill George, Keep Hackney NHS Public

We've had a stunning victory over the Government's plans to privatise huge chunks of the NHS - you have probably seen the media coverage over the last two days. The Government is in real disarray over the NHS - and much of the credit goes to local Hackney activists!

From Gill George, Chair, Keep Hackney NHS Public

Some horrific new government proposals emerged yesterday. There is an advert in the 'Official Journal of the European Union' that effectively flogs off the whole of the NHS to the private sector. This is not just a Government proposal - this is an advert that's already gone out inviting private companies to submit bids for pretty much whatever they want.

Jointly called by Keep Our NHS Public groups in Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

Download a leaflet advertising this meeting here.