Richard Bourne’s acceptance speech:
Brain Fisher was warmly thanked for all he has done for the SHA and we are delighted that he intends to keep active and support the officers.
Over the next year we will continue to encourage debate and discussion and refine the policies we have established. We will try to move beyond structures and the NHS and look far more widely; perhaps going back to the basics around the social determinants of health.
We will continue to encourage and facilitate liaison between the various key groups who are campaigning to oppose the Coalition health policies.
We will develop our special relationship with the Labour Party, as an affiliated organisation, and lobby for our policies to be accepted.
We will continue with providing speakers when requested and offering influencing, training and education especially around the new structures.
We will continue to encourage contributions to aid our thinking and to be a repository for information. Our meetings should be more about discussion less about administration.
In particular over the next 12 months we should aim to make further progress on developing our web site and refine our approach to the use of social media.
We should review our constitution and our working practices.
We should (once again) think about ways to broaden our membership and involve members more widely.
We should think about how we use Socialism and Health and start inviting contributions from inside and outside the SHA.