Cumbrian health campaigners turn on Donald Trump over NHS tweet

The US President sparked major controversy by tweeting that the UK health service was "going broke and not working".

It came after thousands of people took to the streets of London to protest against the current winter crisis facing the NHS, calling on the Government to make more funds available. Cumbrian campaigners also held a demonstration in the county to coincide.

President Trump claimed they were marching because the NHS was broken - using it as a reason to rubbish calls for a similar system in America, where people have to fund their own healthcare.

It has been met with a backlash by those fighting for the NHS, which is taxpayer-funded so nobody has to pay for treatment.

Even Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt - who was heavily criticised during the demonstrations over his handling of the current winter crisis - was quick to respond to Mr Trump's tweet, praising the NHS.

Those who took part in the Cumbrian NHS rally, which was held in Carlisle city centre on Saturday, have hit out at Mr Trump, saying he was twisting the message for his own political gain.

Suzanne Kelsey, from the Carlisle Labour Party, has long been campaigning for health services, locally and nationally.

She said they were there to fight against the prospect of an American-style healthcare system being introduced here.

"The thousands of people marching in London and thousands more holding rallies in cities across the country were there because our NHS is our greatest social achievement, our national treasure, envied the world over as the most equitable health care system," she said.

"We were there because we want to uphold its core principles based on clinical need, not ability to pay. We do not want an Americanised version, because in a very powerful and exceedingly wealthy country like America with access to cutting edge medical science, sick people are made bankrupt or have to sell their homes to pay their medical bills. Or tragically are denied healthcare and are sent home to die.

"Our NHS is not a failing or broken system. However it is in a major crisis due to constant radical reforms, which have cost billions, drastic cuts and creeping privatisation, where profits are put before patients.

"Thanks must go to the many dedicated front line staff who under unacceptable challenges are doing their very best, while at the same time are voicing their serious concerns about underfunding, lack of resources, shortages of staff and patient safety."

Helen Davison, of Cumbria Health Campaigns Together, said she was angered by the American President's comments.

"What he's saying is just twisting the reality of what's going on for his own agenda. Britain has long had a health service that's the envy of the world. The reason we are facing this crisis now is due to a political decision to change its structure and run it down," she said.

The Conservative Government strongly denies claims it is running down the NHS. In his response to the American President, Mr Hunt spoke of his pride in the NHS for treating people regardless of bank balance.

But Ms Davison strongly believes there is a wider plan to move to an American-style insurance-based system.

"That's the reason it's starting to fail. Because we are becoming more like America. Trump should be looking at home," she said.

"The Government is changing how the NHS is run. It has been restructuring it to get ready for a move to an American model. That's why it's failing."

She accused Mr Hunt of political spin, and added that if he wants to prove he supports the health service he should back the NHS Reinstatement Bill and scrap the current Health and Social Care Act.

"He's making out it's all fine when it's not. He's one of the instigators of this attempt to run down the NHS. If only he really believed what he's said. If he did he wouldn't be doing what he's doing," she said.

Robert Charlesworth, of the Unite union, said market forces have been moving into the NHS for decades, further strengthened in the last forward plan published in 2015. That is one of the reasons they are protesting, to raise public awareness, he added.

Cumbrian politicians have also spoken up for the NHS.

South Lakes' Liberal Democrat MP, Tim Farron, said: “Donald Trump is moving the United States towards a private health service, which is only available for those who have deep enough pockets to afford it and is undoing all the positive steps taken by Barack Obama."

The Liberal Democrat added: “Despite massive underfunding and Government mismanagement, we have the best health service in the world, run by the best doctors and nurses in the world.”

Barrow's John Woodcock went as far as to call for President Trump to quit. "Once again we are seeing this shameful excuse of a President criticise an institution that makes Britain great. It is increasingly clear that the only thing he can do to restore dignity to his office and the country he is diminishing is to resign," he said.

“Last weekend British people were calling on the Government for more money for our NHS, not less. They marched proudly in favour of universal health care, not against. The reaction across the country to the President’s comments shows that the whole of Britain agrees.”

Labour's Sue Hayman, who represents Workington, added: "The NHS model isn't broken. It needs proper funding and resources.

"The NHS is in its 70th birthday year and we are facing the worst winter crisis on record. But the American health model is the one that's broken. Any system that leaves its most vulnerable without any healthcare whatsoever is not the way you look after your people."

Although Mr Hunt's defence of the NHS raised some eyebrows from opposition politicians, Mrs Hayman said he was right to react as he did.

"I actually think it's important that he did. The NHS is a very special model of healthcare. If our Secretary of State can't stand up and say that then things would be far worse than I realised," she said.

Copeland's Conservative MP, Trudy Harrison, said despite its challenges, the NHS was still providing excellent care.

“In Britain, we are immensely proud of having an NHS that is free at the point of delivery, for everyone.

"In Cumbria we of course have our challenges, but thanks to the incredibly dedicated staff at West Cumberland Hospital, and in particular, the amazing midwives working in ante and postnatal departments - I have always received outstanding care, and can say the same for my family and friends," she said.

Lynne Davies, of the We Need West Cumberland Hospital campaign group, said people really care about their health services.

"The thousands of members we have and daily posts from patients using local services show how much people in west Cumbria value their NHS and are determined to fight for it," she added.

Political leaders have hit back at Donald Trump after his NHS attack.

In direct response to his tweet, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Trump was "wrong" and "people were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right".

The organisers of Saturday's national NHS protest rejected Mr Trump's "divisive and incorrect rhetoric".

The People's Assembly Against Austerity and Health Campaigns Together said the NHS had been "a shining example to the world of what can be achieved when we put the needs of the collective good over the interests of a few wealthy individuals".

They added that the protest was against the prospect of moves to an "American-style system which is widely acknowledged to be one of the most expensive, inefficient and unjust healthcare systems in the world".

Responding to President Donald Trump's tweet about the NHS, Theresa May's official spokesman said: "The prime minister is proud of having an NHS that is free at the point of delivery."

Asked whether the Prime Minister backed Jeremy Hunt's tweet, the spokesman said: "Jeremy Hunt is the Health Secretary and of course he speaks for the Government on these matters."

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "President Trump is lucky in that he can afford the best health care available. But there are millions of patients who can't and I for one am proud to work within a health system that doesn't simply cast the poor and vulnerable aside."

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said Mr Trump had "got the wrong end of the stick" and invited the President to visit its "brilliant" staff and services during his planned trip to the UK this year.