Emergency Fundraiser! The secretary of state is threatening us with £150,000 cost protection order. 

We were devastated to hear just 24 hours before our case management hearing, that the Secretary of State (SoS) has now demanded Justice For Health raise a total of £150,000 as security for costs in order to proceed with our case.  

This is a staggering amount of money and we feel it is an underhand tactic to silence junior doctors and prevent us from raising our legitimate concerns in holding Mr Hunt to account. 

• New demands by the SoS:

Although we will strongly contest this figure in court tomorrow, we must be prepared for an unprecedented demand from Mr Hunt. He had previously demanded £30,000, and is now threatening a figure 5 times that amount!

• Further legal costs:

We were forced to pause our case whilst the latest contract offer was put to a referendum by the BMA in June. This has resulted in increased legal costs as the case has become longer, more complex and we have additional grounds requiring additional legal expertise. 

We must therefore continue to fundraise for our legal costs, in addition to the SoS's security demands.

We are confident that our action will show that the SoS does not have power to impose this unplanned and dangerous contract that will affect patient wellbeing and safety. 

Urgent help needed:

We now urgently need to raise £170,000 in total to allow us to proceed with our case, making this is an all-or-nothing target. 

Without your support we cannot continue to seek justice for the NHS.

Stats:

Previous fundraising:

• Round 1: legal fees - £125,000 target, £133,741 raised, 4465 backers
• Round 2: cost protection - £33,000 target, £52,086 raised, 1803 backers 

Costs so far:

• Legal fees already paid: ~£88,000
• Predicted additional fees to get the case through a full hearing: ~£92,000
• Security deposit: £150,000: this is the figure Mr Hunt and the Government Legal Department have demanded on 20.7.2016.

These figures are our current best estimates. Please bear in mind that they are subject to change due to the unpredictable and fast moving nature of this complex and novel litigation. 

About the claimant

We are a group of doctors based in London who between us have over 30 years of experience working in the NHS. We are committed to our patients' well-being and making the NHS the best it can be. We want it to remain safe for generations to come.

Dr Ben White is a 33 year old Medical Registrar. 

"I’ll be responsible for looking after you and your family if you arrive via A&E and are very unwell. I have a track record of campaigning for patients, the NHS and its staff. I’m so pleased to be a part of this legal action which gives us the opportunity to invest in a robust process to test the government's plans which I think stand to put patient and staff safety in jeopardy".

Dr Francesca Silman works as a General Practice Registrar. 

"I am passionate about providing high quality care to my patients. The NHS has been vital in looking after my family - from cancer, dementia, childbirth and autoimmune disease, numerous members of my family have been well looked after through the world class service the NHS provides. We have to ensure that the NHS works for patients, and not for political will".

Dr Marie McVeigh is specialising in Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 

"As a child I lived in a country without a national health service. I grew up seeing the effects of health inequality. From the age of 12 I wanted to be a doctor and I wanted to work in the NHS, where every patient gets the care they need. I believe fundamentally in the principle of equality. I want every patient I treat to be safe in our NHS and every colleague to be supported. I fear this contract is dangerous, it deeply undermines and destabilises the foundations of our NHS.

"Dr Nadia Masood works as an Anaesthetics Registrar. 

"I look after some of the sickest patients in the hospital, working hard to get them well again so they can go home to their families. I know how important that is, my dad successfully recovered from urgent open-heart surgery 10 years ago, and my mum has undergone life-saving cancer treatment more recently. Thanks to the NHS they are still with me today".

Dr Amar Mashru is an A&E Doctor in South London. 

“I face the frontline consequences of understaffing and underfunding in the NHS every single day as our A&E department wait times get longer and our patients don’t get the care that they need when they need it. The government will never meet these consequences face to face as they increasingly choose to prioritise cost over quality. It is time to call them to account for the choices they make about how we can be looked after when we are brought through the doors of an Emergency Department. When you are at your sickest and most vulnerable my colleagues and I just want to be able to make you feel better.”

Less...

Fast facts

The government is imposing a dangerous contract in August 2016.

We are challenging this imposition through an independent judicial process.

If this contract is imposed, staff working conditions in the NHS could become unsafe and harmful to patients. 

THE NHS SHOULD:

• Work effectively for patients
• Be safe for patients and those who care for them
• Provide an excellent, world class service

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Please donate
• Send this link to others to donate
• Tweet with a photo using #JustHealth and tag @Justice4Health_ to say that you have donated and support this action