FREE Issue 5 | May 2021 @newhamvoices /NewhamVoices @newhamvoices www.newhamvoices.co.uk We need to Youth Voices Our Heritage: invest to combat Special: It’s my Shops, Docks violent crime Page 3 life let me live it Page 13 and Factories Page 15 Future of NHS at risk after sale of Newham GP practices to US AIDAN WHITE said Phil Edwards a leader of the © Sylvie Belbouab Newham Save Our NHS group. ewham is at the centre of a He said the loophole opening growing storm over NHS pri- the door to transfers of this kind Nvatisation fears following the came in 2004 with the launch of transfer of GP care for thousands of the Alternative Provider of Medical local patients into the hands of an Services (APMS) contracts for GPs organisation controlled by a giant that introduced the possibility of American health corporation. their practices being sold on to A top-level meeting with health other companies. care regulators has been organised Stephen Timms, Labour MP for East this month to find out how this Ham, told Newham Voices: “We have takeover was “nodded through” to be clear about what is the basis for earlier in the year, without any this decision, and if there are grounds public consultation. for blocking such a transfer.” Local doctors, councillors and He will take part in a meeting campaigners are calling for a between the responsible oversight thorough investigation into the move body, the Newham Clinical that affects thousands of patients in Commissioning Group, and Stratford, Manor Park, Canning Town councillors and the campaign and North Woolwich and up to half a group Newham Save Our NHS million patients receiving GP services which will ask searching questions in London and around the UK. over the level of scrutiny of the The Newham GP practices were transfer of ownership and the wider part of the highly-respected implications of selling GP care to a London-wide AT Medics group profit-led American corporation. which was taken over by Operose Members of the Inner North East Health, a UK subsidiary of Centene London Joint Health Overview and Corp based in Missouri, creating Scrutiny Committee, which oversees the largest private supplier of GP – continued on page 3 services in the UK with 58 GP practices across the country. Already a coalition of doctors, Newham Voices needs your campaigners and academics have support. To make a donation written to the health secretary please scan this code with the Matt Hancock requesting a national PayPal app. investigation by the Care Quality Commission. They say this latest move is “privatisation of the NHS by stealth”. In Newham campaigners echo this concern and worry that the takeover was not subject to proper scrutiny or any form of public consultation. “This will have an impact on patient care,” warned one local doctor. “This is a takeover by the back- Pandemic highlights: The year of the nurse door, without discussion with patients, and nodded through See pages 7-11 without proper meetings, all under the cover of the pandemic,” 2 Newham Voices May 2021 About us Thanks! Local businesses By local people, for local people Newham Voices is your new newspaper and website. supporting Newham Voices Our aim is to provide a voice for all of Newham’s people. 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More information is available on our website: www.newhamvoices.co.uk Newham CIC Directors Jean Gray, Catarina Joele, Shagufta Nasreen, Rebekah Samuel, Winston Vaughan and Aidan White Publisher Aidan White 07946 291511 Editors Kay Atwal and Jean Gray Designer Mary Schrider Editorial Team Sylvie Belbouab, Fawn Bess-Leith, Nicole Blythe, Cecilia Cran, Phoenix Debola, Aly Duncan, Noah Enahoro, Neandra Etienne, Coco Garcia Acevedo, Charlotte Hall, Michelle Harris, Catarina Joele, Karolina Króliczek, Tanya Mehmet, Phil Mellows, Julia Omari, Matthew Preston, Rebekah Samuel, Mir Tasin, Winston Vaughan and Samantha Watson Thank you to all of our supporters! Complaints Join others in supporting us by listing or advertising your business with Newham Voices and If you have a complaint regarding by subscribing to receive a digital copy of the newspaper direct to your inbox for just a single the content of our newspaper or fee of £6 for the year. For further information contact Rebekah Samuel on 07306 515 223 or at website contact the editor at editor@ newhamvoices.co.uk Or by phone: [email protected] 07946291511 or by post to 11 Vicarage Road, London E15 4HD. We will normally respond to your complaint with a final decision within 21 calendar days. If we uphold your complaint, we will tell you about our actions to remedy the situation. If you are not satisfied you can submit a formal complaint to IMPRESS, who Newham Youth Voices panel meets regularly on Zoom to discuss issues relevant to young people in the will independently examine your Borough and to inform our coverage. The panel is the result of collaboration between Newham Voices and complaint. Newham Voices agrees to be bound by the outcome of IMPRESS the charity Ashok’s Vision. If you are interested in getting involved or joining one of the meetings, please investigations. email [email protected] For more information, go to www.newhamvoices.co.uk/feedback For general inquires email us at: Tala Ahmadi Neandra Etienne Shofa Miah [email protected] Bassam Ahmed Catarina Joele Reece St John-Commey Hasan Ali Farzana Rahman Arman Rittick Sheikh Ashton Buchanan Daniel Harry Tazmen Sultana Juvelyn Victoria Caliao Faisal Islam Mir Tasin Mufeeda Chowdhury Mariyah Miah Tarek Uddin Noah Enahoro Miraj Miah Hamza Yusuf Islam Social crisis Newham Voices May 2021 3 Investment in community is key to ending violent crime wave NOAH ENAHORO ble and create inward investment to left on their own to try and struggle Circumstances change people into address poverty. One child stabbed is to get through their issues, and what criminals, and that is why “we need “ ear after year I find myself one child too many. We have got to we want to do is make sure that to empower and invest in our youth.” burying young people who’ve do better in London.” those who are in that fight against The London Mayoral election is Ybeen shot or stabbed in our Research also confirms that Newham poverty receive a helping hand.” being held on May 6th. For informa- communities,” says anti-knife crime has the highest number of children He also wants to introduce Mayoral tion on the candidates (Shaun Bailey, campaigner Nims Obunge. “I see the living in poverty in the capital, with HOPE schools aimed at addressing Con; Kevin Balayev, Renew; Sian trauma that families go through hav- more than half of them, 52 per cent, school exclusion. Since 2013 Newham Berry, Green; Count Boniface; Valerie ing lost their loved ones. I am tired judged to be in households under the school exclusions have risen by 81 Brown, Burning Pink; Piers Corbyn, of this government failing to effec- poverty line, compared to 38 per cent per cent, with many linking this to Let London Live; Max Fosh, Ind; Peter tively address the issues that result in the typical London borough. increased crime rates. Gammons, UKIP; Richard Hewison, in young people carrying knives to A report by the City Intelligence Nims said: “I want the schools to Rejoin EU; Heinous Hudson, Animal schools and on the streets.” Unit of the Greater London Authority help people excel, bringing in pro- Welfare; Sadiq Khan, Lab; Farah The 2021 London Mayoral Election Strategic Crime Analysis Team states fessionals heavily invested in the London, Ind; Nims Obunge, Ind; takes place on 6 May, and all the that out of the 32 London boroughs, community so that the schools Niko Omilana, Ind; Luisa Porritt, Lib candidates are eager to resume cam- Newham is in the top five for vio- become places where aspirations and Dem; Mandu Reid, Women’s Equality paigning after Covid-19 forced can- lent crime offending and top nine for opportunities are built”. Party; Brian Rose, London Real.) cellation in March 2020. serious youth violence victims. He said it is worth remembering go to www.londonelects.org.uk/ Obunge MBE is chief executive of the Nims believes that direct reinvest- that people are not born criminals. im-voter/information-booklet Q anti-crime and anti-violence charity ment into vulnerable communities The Peace Alliance, and he is running and vulnerable people is the best way as an independent mayoral candidate. forward to help solve these problems. He spoke with Newham Voices and He said:“I intend to make sure that explained how he hopes to help we have more effective and afforda- Newham and London combat rising ble homes. I also plan to implement violent crime levels. a Community Coaches Scheme to Research makes it clear that there help vulnerable families and mem- is a direct link between poverty and bers of the community. By investing violence, he said: “Wherever we find in communities and ensuring that high levels of socio-economic depri- we are empowering our young peo- vation, we find levels of criminality. ple and families, we can help them What I want to do is make sure that get off the pathway of poverty. we are working in those communi- “What has happened is people, ties where people are most vulnera- specifically young people, have been Newham GP practices continued from page 1 health service management in A report in the Guardian (February the area, were told last month 26) said the change of control that the transfer had been agreed, for eight practices in the London without discussion, through boroughs of Camden, Islington and Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz joined a March for Fares ending at the scene of the attack.