Health Campaigns Together

Health Campaigns Together
Name	Health Campaigns Together
Type	Coalition
Founded	2015
Location	United Kingdom
Focus	NHS advocacy

Health Campaigns Together is a coalition of trade unions, patient groups, professional associations and campaign organisations formed to defend the National Health Service. It emerged in the context of debates over funding, commissioning and reform of National Health Service arrangements and has coordinated national actions, lobbying and public outreach. The coalition has sought to unite activists associated with multiple political traditions and civil society institutions to influence policy across the United Kingdom.

History

Health Campaigns Together was established in 2015 amid controversies around the Health and Social Care Act 2012, NHS England reorganisation, and austerity measures pursued by the Conservative Party government. Founding meetings involved representatives linked to organisations such as Royal College of Nursing, UNISON, GMB, and campaign groups that had previously opposed market-oriented reform of the NHS. Early public demonstrations drew on tactics used during protests against the Lansley reforms and echoed strikes and rallies associated with Jeremy Corbyn-era activism within the Labour Party. Over time the coalition built relationships with patient advocacy groups, professional bodies like the British Medical Association, and local community organisations in cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

Member Organisations and Structure

Membership of Health Campaigns Together comprises a mix of trade unions, voluntary organisations, patient groups and campaigning bodies. Major affiliated unions include UNISON, GMB, Royal College of Nursing, and Community. Healthcare professional associations like the British Medical Association and regional NHS staff groups have participated in some events. Campaign partners have included Keep Our NHS Public, NHS Support Federation, Healthwatch England, and local groups such as Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign and Save Our Hospitals (Liverpool). Decision-making is typically organised via coordinating committees and regional networks; this model resembles coalitions such as Stand Up To Racism and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in combining national coordination with local autonomy. The coalition has engaged notable public figures and politicians sympathetic to NHS advocacy from parties including Labour, Scottish National Party, and Green Party of England and Wales.

Campaigns and Activities

Health Campaigns Together organises national rallies, local protests, public meetings, petition drives and targeted lobbying of parliamentarians at Palace of Westminster. It has supported marches timed to coincide with NHS birthday commemorations and coordinated actions on key dates such as budget announcements by the HM Treasury. The coalition has produced briefing materials, coordinated with media outlets and worked with organisations like BBC and The Guardian to amplify messaging. Campaign activities have included support for industrial action by unions, solidarity events for striking staff, and collaborative initiatives with patient groups to resist hospital closures, service reconfigurations and outsourcing to private providers such as Serco and Virgin Care. Health Campaigns Together has also organised conferences featuring speakers from Royal College of Nursing, British Medical Association, and community campaign leaders.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

The coalition advocates for increased public funding for the NHS, reversing marketisation introduced in the Health and Social Care Act 2012, and prioritising public provision over private contracting. It supports policy proposals advanced by actors like Labour shadow health teams and public health advocates linked to King's Fund critiques. Health Campaigns Together has called for integrated care models that preserve local hospitals, opposed controversial Sustainability and Transformation Plans associated with NHS England regional changes, and urged protections for social care funding debated at the level of Department of Health and Social Care (UK). Its advocacy often intersects with campaigns for workforce improvements championed by Royal College of Nursing and unions that demand enhanced pay, recruitment and retention measures.

Funding and Resources

Funding for Health Campaigns Together derives primarily from contributions by member organisations, affiliated unions, and in-kind support from partner groups. Resources have included union organising budgets from organisations such as UNISON and GMB, venue support from sympathetic institutions, and voluntary donations associated with local campaigns. The coalition’s financial model mirrors that of other advocacy networks like Friends of the Earth (UK) and Liberty (UK civil liberties organization), relying on member subscriptions, event fundraising and merchandising. Health Campaigns Together does not publish a centralised corporate-style accounts narrative comparable to statutory charities; instead finances are managed through constituent organisations and regional committees.

Impact and Criticism

Health Campaigns Together has played a visible role in keeping NHS issues on the national agenda, contributing to media coverage alongside interventions from bodies such as British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing, and think tanks like Institute for Fiscal Studies. Its coordination of protests and union solidarity has been credited with influencing parliamentary scrutiny of NHS policy and shaping public opinion polls conducted by organisations such as YouGov. Critics argue that the coalition can be aligned with partisan politics linked to Labour campaigns, potentially alienating centrist stakeholders and private-sector reformers. Other critiques cite limited transparency in funding compared with registered charities and question the effectiveness of mass rallies versus targeted policy engagement exemplified by advocacy groups like Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation (UK). Nonetheless, Health Campaigns Together remains a central node in contemporary NHS activism, connected to a network of unions, professional bodies and local campaigns across the United Kingdom.

Category:Health advocacy groups in the United Kingdom