A new NHS campaign group has started in Huddersfield.

‘Fighting For Our NHS’ has been founded by members of Hands Off HRI (HoHRI) in response to this year’s winter crisis.

The group launched on January 3 and says it already has over 10,000 members.

It is the fourth active group in the area following the Kirklees and Calderdale ‘999 Call for the NHS’, Let’s Save HRI and Hands Off HRI.

Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Spokesperson Jacqui Murphy said the pressure group planned to join protests across the country, including supporting the HRI campaign.

She said: “Such is the strength of feeling across the UK that we must fight to preserve a publicly funded, publicly owned and run, free at the point of use to all, National Health Service.

“Over the last few years the NHS has been continually underfunded, staff are overworked, wards are understaffed.

“More and more of our critical services are being privatised.

“The group came together as we are no longer prepared for this to continue and members are prepared to take action, to join forces with other protests to force the government to take action and ensure this established, respected world class institution is not failed.

“It is clear from the vast number of members Fighting For Our NHS has gained in such a short period of time that it is plugging a gap in the health campaigns arena; giving all health campaigns across the country a chance to discuss both national and local NHS related issues and for the more experienced campaigns to provide support and advice to the new campaigns being developed.”

Fighting for our NHS and Hands Off HRI, along with other members of Health Campaigns Together, are attending protests both locally and nationally, which include a national demonstration in London on February 3, jointly called by Health Campaigns Together and the Peoples Assembly.

On the same day HoHRI will hold a local demonstration at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary from 12 noon until 1pm, in support of the national demonstration and for those who can not make it to London.

Other demos are planned for March 3 and July 5 to mark the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

On Saturday, July 7 members will also be joining a national march for the NHS in London.

To find more information on Fighting For Our NHS search for them on Facebook.