People in Islington told Rishi Sunak what they want him to do for the NHS as part of a national day of action held on 28 January 2023 to support striking NHS staff. The messages were loud and clear from all over the borough: start talking now to provide fair pay for staff and save our NHS. At Islington Keep Our NHS Public stalls at the Angel, Highbury Corner, Nags Head and Archway, you told the Prime Minister to hire more staff, pay them decent wages and treat them with respect. We know we can’t rely on their good will forever.

No wonder staff are at breaking point and feel they have no choice but to strike. Patients are being harmed as a direct consequence of understaffing and government policies and staff are struggling to deliver the quality of care they strive for every day:
There are 132,000 NHS staff vacancies together with 175,000 vacancies in social care.
Real pay has fallen by 20% in the past 10 years.
The NHS has been underfunded by an estimated £40 billion each year over the past decade.
71 million people are on hospital waiting lists.
Patients are dying due to lack of hospital beds – 22,000 have been cut over the past 10 years.
Buildings need repair: 34 are in danger of collapse.

Here are just a few of the many messages we sent to the Prime Minister on Twitter.

You told him why the NHS matters.

And why you don’t want the NHS to be privatised.

The time to talk is now, Prime Minister.

Join the march on 11 March
Show the government that you support the NHS. Assemble at Warren Street tube station at noon to march to Westminister.