The National Health Action Party is calling for candidates for the May 2018 local elections.

Local Elections are a great starting point for those with little or no previous electoral experience. No deposit is required, wards usually cover a smaller geographical area than General Election constituencies, there are often several seats available, and plurality voting methods mean small parties have a greater chance of winning.

But these Local Elections are important for another reason. NHS England is using local Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) to devolve healthcare to a local level and force through cuts to services. In many cases, local councils have the power to delay or refuse to implement the STPs. We want to raise healthcare as an important issue at the local elections and we aim to have as many local representatives as possible to influence council decisions on STPs and other NHS matters.