Help us campaign
If you want to find out if private providers are involved in health services in your area, in the first instance you should contact your local Primary Care Trust (PCT). You can find contact details for your local PCT at www.nhs.uk
Your views can make a difference. If you don’t like what is happening to your local NHS then you could contact your local:
- Newspaper, radio and TV station to raise awareness about NHS commercialisation, particularly if there are any local examples
- MP. Find out who your local MP is at www.parliament.uk. Then write to him/her via the House of Commons, London, SW1A OAA.
Useful tools are:
- Write To Them – Click on the link and simply enter your postcode to start writing to your MP or other democratic representatives.
- They Work For You – provides access to the Hansard database which offers detailed information on all MPs, how they voted and all discussions in parliament. You can also sign up for alerts when your MP talks on issues you are interested in.
- The Public Whip – Another Hansard tool where you can find out how your local MP votes on particular issues.
- Hear From Your MP – Tool to encourage MPs to tell constituents what they have been doing.
- Council Overview and NHS Scrutiny Committees. NHS organisations have to consult with health Overview and Scrutiny Committees when considering substantial developments or variations to services. Overview and Scrutiny Committees have statutory powers and NHS organisations must consider any recommendations as part of the decision making process. Write to your local health Overview and Scrutiny Committee via your local Council offices. Find out contact details for your local council by visiting www.direct.gov.uk
- Primary Care Trust (PCT). PCTs organise local NHS services. Your PCT works with local authorities that provide health and social care locally to make sure that your local community healthcare needs are being met. You can find contact details for your local PCT at: www.nhs.uk
- Local Involvement Network (LINk). LINks are organisations which shape how local health services are run. Find your local LINk at www.nhs.uk and contact them to find out how you can have your say.
- Patient Participation Groups – these give local patients a chance to have a say in how their GP practice is run and what services it provides. Find out if your local surgery has one at www.growingppgs.com/home/
To find out more about your rights as a patient, see the NHS Constitution.
The FOI gives you the right to ask any public body for all the information they have on any subject you choose. Also, unless there’s a good reason, the organisation must provide the information within a month. Find out more here.
For more general advice and tips about campaigning, visit www.nhscampaign.org.uk
