Please read the very latest statements and updates from the Hands Off HRI Campaign below.
(N.B. For statements and notifications from the Hands Off HRI Campaign from before July 2017 (including Legal Updates, Information on Public Meetings and Campaign Announcements), please see our Campaign Statements Page which has campaign statements and notices dating back to March 2016.)
Hands Off HRI wish to extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to all those caught up in the terrible night's events at the Manchester Arena.
This is a despicable act of apparent terrorism. Innocent young people and their families have been randomly targeted.
We salute the courage and quick response of all the emergency services.
Once again, the NHS staff rose to the occasion and the Wythenshaw A&E worked through the night, as ever, saving lives. Ambulance, fire and police have been on the scene all night.
These terrible events underline the importance of our NHS and all the other emergency services. Let's all make sure we maintain them.
#HandsOffHRI
PRESS RELEASE: HandsOffHRI Huddersfield March for the NHS
The Hands off HRI Campaign Group to save Huddersfield Royal Infirmary marched at the front of the National #OurNHS Demonstration in London on March 4th, 2017.
On Saturday, 29th April we will be marching in our home town of Huddersfield.
From 11:00am on Saturday morning, Hands off HRI Campaigners will march shoulder to shoulder with members of the public, NHS Workers, Trade Union Members, Councillors and MPs.
The campaign group are marching first and foremost in opposition to the down-banding of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary which includes the closure of Accident & Emergency.
#HandsOffHRI
#HandsOffHRI
Speakers at the rally include Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield and UNISON Head of Health Tony Pearson.
The group recognises that the NHS is in crisis. NHS staff received a measly 1% pay rise. Mental Health services are struggling as a result of chronic underfunding. Social care systems are under immense pressure as the population is living longer. We want investment in our Health and Social Care Services.
In our local area of Greater Huddersfield and Calderdale as well as across the Kirklees Metropolitan Area to Dewsbury and Batley and Spen, NHS services and potentially jobs are under threat if the CCG proposals come to fruition. Our aim is to keep our Hands Off HRI Campaign at the forefront of people’s minds.
Saturday, April 29th, 2017
St. Georges Square, Huddersfield
Assemble from 10:15
#HandsOffHRI
#VoteNHS
Good Afternoon All,
General Election fever has hit Greater Huddersfield and Calderdale.
We the #HandsOffHRI Campaign want to remind people that this campaign is not affiliated with any political party.
We want:
The #HandsOffHRI Campaign will not be endorsing any independent candidates that stand in the election.
We think that any £500 election candidacy fee could be better put towards our #HandsOffHRI Campaign legal fight.
On General Election Day (June 8th) please think about the NHS and our hospital, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
It's your choice. Read the manifestos - not just newspaper headlines.
In the #HandsOffHRI Campaign, we all see it as our and the government's #PublicDuty to protect #ourNHS
#VoteNHS
#HandsOffHRI
Hands off HRI Campaign Film from John Popham.
#HandsOffHRI
OFFICIAL NOTICE:
Hands Off HRI Campaign will hold its first Annual General Meeting at 7pm at the Brian Jackson House in central Huddersfield on Thursday, April 20th, 2017.
Paula Sherriff, MP for Dewsbury, Mirfield, Denby Dale and Kirkburton will speak at the Hands Off HRI AGM.
A full agenda will follow shortly which will include:
All supporters of the #HandsOffHRI Campaign are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend.
Please tell your friends, neighbours, family and colleagues. Thank you.
Brian Jackson House, 2 New North Parade, Huddersfield, HD1 5JP
Thursday, April 20th, 2017
19:00
SPECIAL NOTICE: The Nomination Form for the positions of Campaign Chair and Campaign Secretary is currently available to download at:
If you would like to nominate a candidate for either of these positions in the Hands Off HRI Campaign, please download the form, complete it and return it on or before Friday, 14th April. Thank you.
You can also indicate your intention to attend the Hands Off HRI Campaign AGM on this Facebook Event Page:
http://www.facebook.com/events/438050753253442/
#HandsOffHRI
On April 1st, 2017, the Hands Off HRI Campaign from Greater Huddersfield and Calderdale is going to Leeds March For the NHS.
We are catching the Protest Train from:
for arrival in Leeds at 10:15am.
From Huddersfield most people will board the 09:55 fast train direct to Leeds - but if you want to meet up with friends heading from Dewsbury to Leeds, there is another train, leaving Huddersfield slightly earlier at 09:46 which stops in Dewsbury at 09:55.
We hope you will meet up with us at one of the stations to travel to Leeds together.
PCS Samba will be heading to the march, with a very lively vibe, followed by the local campaign groups, a brass band in the middle heading up the trade union contingents and a flash ensemble of local musicians organised by one of the Leeds Keep Our NHS Public members further down the line.
GMB are planning a bed push and people are digging out scrubs, white coats etc, wearing campaign T-shirts and hoodies and creating personal placards - so we should make quite a splash.
March organisers, Keep Our NHS Public Leeds, will be making this event to be as colourful and lively as possible - it's going to be an immensely fun day out for old people, young people and all the family!
See you there!
#HandsOffHRI
To reassure people:
All money raised is going towards our legal challenge with the CCG. All monies paid out of our account have gone towards paying Irwin Mitchell Solicitors and nothing else.
The accounts as previously stated will be adopted at our general meeting. There will be the opportunity to look at and ask questions about the accounts at this meeting.
We believe in democracy and transparency.
All monies paid in since January 2017 have all been raised by this group. We have not received anything from any other group.
All money from the PayPal account has been transferred into the main account to pay Irwin Mitchell Solicitors.
We have simply removed a signatory from the account.
The person removed has said publicly that he wants nothing to do with our group or what we stand for.
The account is linked to HMRC and the limited company.
Nothing has changed.
Many thanks.
#HandsOffHRI
Our campaign priority is to make sure that the NHS is safe locally for patients and staff.
We believe that this cannot be achieved through more cuts to services. Cutting services is exactly what the CCGs are proposing! These cuts or efficiency savings will be imposed if we don't challenge them.
We are not negotiating! We are challenging them!
Our campaign will continue to fight locally for an NHS that is a comprehensive service, free at the point of need and not driven by profit. We are also opposed to changes to services that are simply about saving money and not in the best interests of patients.
The CCG Proposal is all about saving money!
How can it be safe for our town to lose its A&E?
How can it be in the interests of patient safety?
Please do write to your local MP or Councillor with your concerns.
Write to our local paper.
Join us with our awareness and fund raising.
Every little bit helps.
Thank YOU.
Find the Hands Off HRI Campaign on Facebook
#HandsOffHRI
Please be ready in St. George's Square in central Huddersfield no later than 06:25am. Thank you.
Coaches will be departing from St. George's Square at 06:30 sharp on the morning of Saturday, 4th March.
After a full day in London, coaches are expected to arrive back in central Huddersfield at 10:30 in the evening.
To grab one of the last remaining tickets, go to:
Please note:
All sales of Coach Tickets from Huddersfield to London on Saturday March 4th have now closed.
This is going to be massive. Britain is rising up to support our NHS.
If you haven't a coach ticket, come along at 06:25am. We have three coaches and some spare seats.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE THERE TO HELP US MAKE HISTORY.
On Saturday, 4th March the rendezvous point for all the campaigns is at:
The march will set off from Tavistock Square at 12 midday and arrive in Parliament Square at 2pm.
See below for a downloadable guide to the March Route through London from Tavistock Square to Parliament Square:
March 4th Route Map and Tips to have a Great Day [PDF Guide]
Press Release:
**********************
Hands Off HRI, the local grass roots based group, campaigning against the closure of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary Accident and Emergency Department and the resulting reduction in services, will attend the It's Our NHS National Demonstration on Saturday 4th March 2017.
We have received an overwhelming response to the demo, so much so that we have had to book a third coach. Over 100 concerned citizens are now booked on local transport kindly provided at discount rates by Stott's Coaches. Others are travelling down independently. This is a great response to the call for support.
The Kirklees and Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group is currently compiling a full business case for the demolition of HRI, leaving a smaller planned treatment cottage style hospital. The plans would see Accident and Emergency moved, in its entirety to Calderdale Royal Hospital.
In addition, locally, the Huddersfield CCG intends to cut funding, by 44%, to Slaithwaite Health Centre. This will halve the number of appointments to see Doctors and Nurses and the GP partners predict that they will have to give up the contract by Christmas 2017 as the surgery will no longer be safe.
Whilst campaigning against these local issues we have been forced to recognise the wider effect of National Policies such as the Sustainability and Transformation Plan which, in creating 44 footprints across the UK, could see Accident & Emergency care in our region only available in Harrogate, Bradford and Leeds.
Nationally these stories are repeated in every region.
Our NHS is in crisis, years of underfunding have brought a Winter Crisis of epic proportions. A&E Patients waiting on trollies in excess of 4 hours or more, cancelled operations due to lack of beds, caused by underfunding of social care, resulting in patients who are well enough to go home with support, having to remain in hospitals. In addition GP's, mental health, ambulance and community services are on their knees.
Against this back drop, Health Campaigns Together and The Peoples Assembly have been urged to call a National Demonstration in support of our NHS and calling for:
The March will be attended by many local campaigning groups, including:
as well as NHS staff including Doctors, Nurses and Support Staff. Crowds are expected in tens of thousands.
Jeremy Corbyn, who will address the rally in Parliament Square, will also be joined by a range of speakers representing NHS workers, unions, campaigns and celebrities including; John McDonnell MP, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Len McCluskey, Jacqui Berry, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS choir (2015 Xmas No.1). English drum and bass band Rudimental have also pledged their support and will attend the demonstration. Hands Off HRI Chairman, Mike Forster will be addressing the crowds.
Read the HandsOffHRI Campaign Newsletter (February 2017) to find out more on how the Greater Huddersfield and Calderdale Hands Off HRI Campaign has been pushing forward since the start of New Year 2017 to defend and protect hospital services vital to our community at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
The newsletter comprises 2 sides - about 4mins reading time:
HandsOffHRI.org/newsletter-feb-2017
We thank you for your ongoing support.
#HandsOffHRI
Brief update following yesterday's lobbying efforts:
Joint Health Scrutiny Committee had given the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) until February to present a credible plan. The CCG failed to do so and are proceeding without making themselves accountable. The councillors should be taking their own legal advice about the failure of the CCG to follow procedure. They clearly don't feel they need to account for their actions. On top of this, it will be the trust and not the CCG preparing the case. They don't consider they are obliged to consult either!!! And of course we have the introduction of the new STP authority which will be coming into being this year. They certainly don't feel accountable to us.
All of this strengthens our legal challenge because the health authorities believe they are beyond reproach. And there clearly won't be the funding for any change as the STP is charged with cutting £1.1 billion over the next 4 years. Although it's getting more complicated, the answer becomes clearer: the NHS will not survive without more funding.
#HandsOffHRI
If you were unable to make it to the Kirklees and Calderdale Joint Health Scrutiny Committee Meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall at 3pm on Thursday, 23rd February, you can watch the proceedings here:
https://kirklees.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/264673
