Medact

Securitisation of Health group meeting
2022-11-14 18:00 - 19:30, 2022-11-23 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-01-17 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-02-09 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-03-14 18:00 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
What is the securitisation of health?
A number of policing and counter-extremism measures are embedded by the government into UK health services, which at times requiring health workers to work closely with the police and other security agencies.
These measures risk undermining therapeutic relationships, confidentiality and trust in practitioners – as well as drawing health services and workers into becoming an arm of policing and counter-terror agencies.
Through research and campaigns, Medact aims to shift understandings of ‘security’, from typically “hard” measures (border enforcement, a punitive criminal justice system, counter-terror measures) and advocate for collective and human security, health and wellbeing. Read more about our work on Securitisation.
About the group
The Securitisation of Health group is for health workers interested in working on these issues through campaigning, lobbying and research. New members are welcome! If you have any questions or concerns about attending, please email our Campaign Lead Sarah Lasoye at sarahlasoye@medact.org
[Registration has now closed]

Economic Justice & Health group meeting
2022-11-21 19:00 - 20:30, 2022-12-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
The Economic Justice & Health group meet regularly on Zoom to discuss current and future campaigns, plan events, work on strategy and share knowledge. The group is open to all and welcomes new members. Questions? Email EJ&H campaigner Jordi.
[Registration has now closed]

Nuclear Weapons Group Meeting
2022-11-22 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-01-10 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-01-31 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-02-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
Medact’s Nuclear Weapons Group represents the longest standing aspect of Medact’s work to address war, armed violence and conflict as global threats to health.
We will meet to provide an update on our ongoing work, and discuss the current global political landscape as related to nuclear weapons and disarmament. Register below to receive the meeting link.
Questions? Email Sarah Lasoye: sarahlasoye@medact.org
[Registration has now closed]

Health for a Green New Deal: Welcome Call
2022-11-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Health for a Green New Deal is building a grassroots campaign for a just and green society, one that prioritises the health of people and planet. All those who work in or study health are welcome to join us and help build the movement!
Interested in getting involved in Health for a Green New Deal? Join us for our welcome call to find out everything you need to know about our plan to build unstoppable social pressure for a transformative Green New Deal.
[Registration has now closed]

Medact Research Network Quarterly Meeting
2022-11-30 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
The Medact Research Network Quarterly is a space for us to come together, share our work, discuss new projects, or delve into deep discussion about research that has caught your interest. We aim to collectively develop our thought and research practices.
Our network meets every 3 months, and is a great way to connect with others interested in research in this area.
At this meeting we’re pleased to host Dr. Ryan Essex, research fellow at the University of Greenwich. Ryan will present new research into health workers’ non-violent resistance based on surveys and interviews with Medact members.
We’ll also hear updates on our new project Criminalising Distress from both members of the research team and members of the StopSIM campaign group who sit on its steering committee. Register below to ensure you automatically receive the video link for the meeting!
As always, we invite you to share your work with the group! This could be talking briefly about a research project you’ve recently completed or are currently working on, or a paper you’ve seen that you’d like to share and discuss with the group. It’s a great opportunity to explain a new idea and connect with other researchers keen to collaborate on your project.
Interested? Get in touch with Hil and include a few details of what you’d like to talk about at a future meeting!
[Registration has now closed]

Report Launch: The Medical Consequences of Contingency Accommodation for People Seeking Asylum
2022-12-06 18:00 - 19:30
Join Medact’s Migrant Solidarity Group for the launch of their new report on the medical consequences of contingency accommodation for people seeking asylum. We will present the findings of the report, hear from people working in contingency accommodation and host a panel discussion on what we can do as allies to those housed there.
Read the report
Read Profiting from Pain: Accommodating asylum seekers in England, a blog accompanying the report.
This event will be hybrid and you can attend online via Zoom or in-person at the Medact offices in Hoxton, London.
Accessibility information: Entrance to The Grayston Centre is via 3 steps leading into the building. The event will take place in a meeting room on the ground floor. There is an accessible bathroom also on the ground floor. The room in which the event will be held is lit by bright, overhead lighting. There will not be live BSL interpretation, but we can turn on captions for Zoom. There is an adjacent space which can be used if you need to step out of the event for any reason. There is not parking outside the building. The closest parking spaces are available here.
Please indicate whether attending in-person or online when registering.
For those attending in person there will be a small end of year social event afterwards nearby for some food and drinks.
[Registration has now closed]

Medact Birmingham: Druids Heath Campaign Meeting
2022-12-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Cherry Reds Cafe, 88-92 John Bright St, Birmingham, B1 1BN
Meet other Medact members and health workers interested in our Economic Justice work, hear the latest updates on our Druids Heath campaign, and find out about how to get involved.
The Economic Justice & Health group is currently working in Birmingham to support the Druids Heath Community Forum and their Build 1ST campaign – a community campaign organising against the demolition of council housing in Druids Heath.
“Build 1ST Druids Heath” is a campaign to build first before eviction, ensuring that residents get to move to a new house, stay in the area and only move once: into a permanent, quality home within their communities, alongside a guaranteed right to return for those families who have already been moved.
Recently, health workers launched a petition to Birmingham City Council. We will discuss how else we can support the community in Druids Heath, and how we can win the Build First demand. We’ll also explore the impact of housing on health more widely, and the health community’s involvement in organising around the housing crisis.
This is an in-person meeting at Cherry Reds Cafe (map)
[Registration has now closed]

Economic Justice & Health group meeting
2023-01-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-01-30 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-02-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-02-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-03-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
The Economic Justice & Health group meet regularly to discuss current and future campaigns, plan events, work on strategy and share knowledge. The group is open to all and welcomes new members. Questions? Email our EJ&H campaign lead Jordi.
[Registration has now closed]

Medact Groups Check-in
2023-02-07 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom
This is a space for people active in Medact local or issue groups to connect, to share collective learning from our organising—the challenges and successes and how we can support each other moving forward.

We would love one or more people from each group to come if possible, and the group representative doesn’t need to be a coordinator: anyone who is involved is welcome!

As part of the check in, we would love for each group to spend two minutes sharing a few highlights from the last few months, any challenges you’ve had, and any plans you have coming up.

If you have any questions or would like to chat through anything, do get in touch with Ben Eder: beneder@medact.org

[Registration has now closed]

Medact Birmingham: Housing & Health campaign meeting
2023-02-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Cherry Reds Cafe, 88-92 John Bright St, Birmingham, B1 1BN
Meet other Medact members and health workers local to Birmingham who are interested in our Economic Justice work, hear the latest updates on our Druids Heath campaign, and find out about how to get involved!
The Economic Justice & Health group is currently working in Birmingham to support the Druids Heath Community Forum and their Build 1ST campaign—a community campaign organising against the demolition of council housing in Druids Heath.
“Build 1ST Druids Heath” is a campaign to build first before eviction, ensuring that residents get to move to a new house, stay in the area and only move once: into a permanent, quality home within their communities, alongside a guaranteed right to return for those families who have already been moved.
Last year, health workers launched a petition demanding that Birmingham City Council listen to residents. At this meeting we’ll discuss how else we can support the community in Druids Heath, and how we can win the Build First demand.
We’ll also explore the impact of housing on health more widely, and the health community’s involvement in organising around the housing crisis.
Whether you’ve been involved in our work for a while or are new to Medact, everyone is welcome! If you have any questions about this campaign or our economic justice work, drop me a line at jordilopezbotey@medact.org
[Registration has now closed]

Patients Not Passports New Joiners meeting: February
2023-02-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Want to get involved in the Patients Not Passports campaign?
The best way to get up to speed with the campaign and connected with work going on across the country is to come to our next New Joiners meeting.

In this meeting we’ll explore how NHS charging works and how we can fight back, hear from some of the groups working on the Patients Not Passports campaign, and explore the different ways you can take part. To win, we need everyone working together to oppose NHS charging – you don’t need to work in healthcare to be involved!

If you can’t make the next New Joiners meeting, don’t worry! We can also make time for a quick phone call with you or connect you directly with your local group – get in touch by emailing jamesskinner@medact.org.

[Registration has now closed]

Housing and Health London Meeting
2023-02-22 18:30 - 20:30
Medact’s Economic Justice Housing & Health Group is organising to improve policies for better access to secure and sustainable housing. This includes working alongside local groups to support local campaigns, as well as demanding policy change on a national level for better support for social housing, community-owned housing stock and protections for renters.
Over the past few months, our members have been actively involved in national advocacy work through the Homes For Us Campaign, local organising work in Birmingham, and a new project organising with tenants and community organisers in Harrow.
At this meeting, you will hear from the members involved in our Housing and Health campaign, get updates on our local organising work in Harrow, and help us develop our next steps and identify other potential campaigns in London.
You don’t have to be a regular member of the Economic Justice & Health group or a health worker to get involved – everyone is welcome!
If you’re unable to attend any of the meetings but keen to get involved or develop a local campaign you can contact Jordi: jordilopezbotey@medact.org
When? Wednesday 22 February 2023, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Where? Medact Offices, Brick Yard, 28 Charles Square, London N1 6HT
[Registration has now closed]
Background
The housing system in the UK is broken. Currently, 1.6 million households are on social housing waiting lists and millions more are struggling to meet unaffordable rents in the private sector. One in five dwellings in England fail to meet decent standards for living, with disregard for basic health and safety measures all too common. Housing is not equitably distributed in the UK: poorer households, ethnic minority groups, the elderly and adults with disabilities are all more likely to live in low-quality, unsafe, insecure housing. Despite all of this, social and private rents are growing faster than the cost of living. Social housing stock is dwindling, yet there are around five times more empty homes in the country than households in need of housing.
As part of the health community, we see and care for the symptoms of an unjust economic system. We are united in struggle with friends and colleagues within and beyond the NHS in organising to end housing-related health inequalities
You can read more in our booklet The Public Health Case for Secure Housing

Medact Bristol screening & social: The Oil Machine
2023-02-27 19:00 - 21:30
Join Medact Bristol for a drink at the Canteen, followed by a film screening of “The Oil Machine” at the Cube Cinema!

This social and screening event is open to anyone, whether you’re already involved in Medact Bristol or want to get involved.

We’re looking forward to catching up and being inspired by this eye-opening documentary. Released in 2022, The Oil Machine highlights the complexities of how oil is embedded in our society – from high finance to cheap consumer goods—and brings together a wide range of voices from oil company executives, economists, young activists, workers, scientists, and pension fund managers. It considers how this machine can be tamed, dismantled, or repurposed. This documentary looks at how the drama of global climate action is playing out in the fight over North Sea oil.

We will be at The Canteen (map) from 7pm to 8pm

Screening at the Cube Cinema (map) at 8pm!

The documentary is 82 minutes long and is in English.

Securitisation of Health: New Joiners meeting
2023-02-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
About the group
This group is for people in the health community who are interested in working on campaigning, lobbying and research related to the securitisation of health. If you have any questions or concerns about attending a meeting, please email our Campaign Lead Sarah Lasoye at sarahlasoye@medact.org
What is the securitisation of health?
A number of policing and counter-extremism measures are embedded by the government into UK health services, which at times requiring health workers to work closely with the police and other security agencies. These measures risk undermining therapeutic relationships, confidentiality and trust in practitioners – as well as drawing health services and workers into becoming an arm of policing and counter-terror agencies.
Through research and campaigns, Medact aims to shift understandings of ‘security’, from typically “hard” measures (border enforcement, a punitive criminal justice system, counter-terror measures) and advocate for collective and human security, health and wellbeing. Read more about our work on Securitisation.
[Registration has now closed]

Nuclear Weapons Group meeting
2023-03-06 18:00 - 19:30
Medact’s Nuclear Weapons Group represents the longest standing aspect of Medact’s work to address war, armed violence and conflict as global threats to health.

We will meet to provide an update on our ongoing work, and discuss the current global political landscape as related to nuclear weapons and disarmament. Register below to receive the meeting link.

If you want to attend or have any questions, please email Sarah at sarahlasoye@medact.org

Nuclear Weapons Group meeting
2023-03-13 06:00 - 19:30

Criminalising Distress literature review team meeting
2023-03-13 19:00 - 20:30
The Literature Review team meet as part of the Medact Research Network’s current project ‘Criminalising Distress’.

The 18-month project explores the evolution and impacts of, accountability for, and alternatives to Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM), a model of mental health care involving police officers into non-emergency therapeutic interventions.

For more information about the project email Research and Policy Manager Hil Aked at hilaked@medact.org

Criminalising Distress interview team meeting
2023-03-20 19:00 - 20:30
The interview team meet as part of the Medact Research Network’s current project ‘Criminalising Distress’.

The 18-month project explores the evolution and impacts of, accountability for, and alternatives to Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM), a model of mental health care involving police officers into non-emergency therapeutic interventions.

For more information about the project email Research and Policy Manager Hil Aked at hilaked@medact.org
