SWAN London has joined forces with other campaigns and events over the summer. SWAN London representatives spoke at the protest over Elaine McDonald’s treatment by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (a woman whose night time care was cut, which left her wearing pads overnight, despite being fully continent). You can see more here: http://tinyurl.com/645rluq
SWAN London also lent its name to a joint letter to put pressure on BMJ/RCN recruitment fairs to ban Atos Origin, the private company responsible for discriminatory assessments of benefit claimants on Employment and Support Allowance: http://tinyurl.com/5w32x4p
A SWAN London representative also spoke on social work and campaigning at a national student conference organised by BASW in June and addressed the new student cohort at London South Bank University. The group has also launched a blog at: http://swanlondon.wordpress.com/
Report by Dan Morton
SWAN members supported a small but lively lobby on 4th August 2011 at St Pancras Hospital in London against mental health cuts at the Camden & Islington Foundation Trust. The lobby was called by the Defend Whittington NHS campaign . The Trust proposes to implement massive cutbacks – 60 staff will lose their jobs, as well as pay cuts for many remaining staff, the closure of 100 beds, and the replacement of trained staff with unqualified workers. The lobby was attended by social workers, service users, nurses and local campaigners. Plans are being made for petitioning, a public meeting and further protests. For more info: dwhc.org.uk
Report by Rich Moth
