About Us

Waltham Forest Save Our NHS is a community campaign.

Terms of reference

1. Purposes of the group:

• Waltham Forest – Save Our NHS (here referred to as ‘the group’) exists to support the NHS in  Waltham Forest to continue as a not-for-profit service, free to all users at the point of delivery, and funded through taxation.
• The group was established in November 2012 by a group of Waltham Forest residents.

• The aim of the group is to support and maintain the provision of publicly provided, best quality healthcare in Waltham Forest.

• The group aims to raise public awareness of any local or national changes to the National Health Service.

• The group aims to challenge any service changes or cuts that threaten the quality of healthcare in Waltham Forest.

2. Membership:

• Membership of the group is open to all residents of Waltham Forest who support the purposes of the group.

• The size of the group is unrestricted.

• There is no limit to the period of membership.

• With the agreement of the group, persons from outside of Waltham Forest may be invited to become co-opted members of the group.

• Whilst individual members may have particular political viewpoints, the group will seek to present its purposes in a non-partisan way.

3. Accountability:

• The membership will form a core group of most active members who will take on the role of keeping the wider membership aware of developments within the National Health Service in Waltham Forest and nationally.
• This core group will be responsible for reporting to the wider membership, informing them of developments that occur and of activities planned.
• The core group will be open to all members of the group who are able to participate at an active level, subject to practicalities of size.

4. Review:

• From time to time and as appropriate, the core group will review its progress in pursuing its aims. To this effect it will hold public meetings, sharing its work with Waltham Forest residents, and seeking their support and involvement. Such meetings will occur as appropriate, but not less than annually.

5. Ways of working:

• The main activities of the group will be organised by the core group, which will seek the involvement of other members and non-members by making them aware of changes occurring within the National Health Service, both locally and nationally. This will be done by meetings convened by the group, attendance at the meetings of other organisations, attendance at public hearings, and by communicating with others through the press, leaflets, posters, lobbies and its web site.
• Sub groups may be convened where appropriate, delegated to carry out activities of the group and to report back to the core group.
• At public meetings the group will not provide a platform for particular political viewpoints, other than to represent the stated purposes of the group. The chair will seek to ensure that this is observed in contributions from the floor.

6. Meetings:

• The number of meetings will be broadly monthly, but will be variable according to need.

• Meetings will be called by the Chair, elected by the group, who will draw up an agenda for circulation prior to the meeting.

• The format of meetings will be determined by the Chair in consultation with the Core Group.

• Non-members may be invited to group meetings by the prior agreement of those attending.

• A named member will be elected to provide minutes of meetings.

7. Sharing of information and resources:

• Information will be circulated freely among Core Group Members by e-mail, and other means and via the Group’s web site.

• There will be a web space for the group linked to regional and national groups sharing aims, and managed by a named group, answerable to the core group.

28.4.2014