NHS and health

On 1 February, the World Health Organization said that Covid is still "a public health emergency of international concern" (the WHO does not officially declare or un-declare "pandemics"), but the virus and consequent disease are "at an inflection point". High levels of immunity to the virus, resulting from vaccinations or previous infections or both, are curbing its impact. Some experts think really the "emergency" label should be removed now; some that, since we don't know whether the big Covid surge in China following the end of its so-called "zero-Covid" policy has settled, or may be...

In an interview with the Times last month Wes Streeting, Labour's Health spokesperson, said: "I'm minded to phase out the whole system of GP partners altogether and to look at salaried GPs working in modern practices alongside a range of other professionals." Sounds good. A salaried GP service has been a progressive call since the inception of the NHS and has long been the preferred model of the MPU (the Medical Practitioners' Union), now usually known as Doctors in Unite. But the question remains, salaried to whom? In 2004 APMS contracts were introduced, which allow private organisations such...

At the time of writing, 6 February, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members in England have been on strike in the first of two consecutive days of action, the fifth since the dispute began. England-wide reports are mostly of picket lines considerably smaller than previously. This may be a blip — and we know that many members were "striking from home". Perhaps picket lines will have been bigger on the second day of action (7 February, as this paper was going to print). But the setback is not surprising in the context of the RCN approach to the strikes so far. The RCN is new to striking, and has...

In the week of 6 February, we have had the biggest strikes in the NHS dispute so far, with RCN members in 73 Trusts, GMB ambulance workers, physiotherapists and Unison ambulance workers all coming out. There are possibilities for escalation. Some Unison branches that did not reach the threshold are starting to push for reballoting, and the BMA strike ballot closes on 20 February. However, the RCN leadership has called off strike action in Wales to consult on a feeble offer. They also suspended strikes in Scotland for negotiations. The Welsh government has offered an additional 1.5% plus 1.5%...

Workers' Liberty Health Strike Bulletin #3: "Co-ordinate and Escalate the Strikes" - 6 February 2023

"Unite the working class against the Tories" — Workers' Liberty picket line bulletin #18, 31 January 2023. Download here .

Almost all countries with more-or-less reliable statistics now show a falling or stable Covid death-rate. But Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Austria, Australia and others show “excess” deaths in late 2022 greatly above numbers attributable to Covid. In Britain, cumulative NHS cuts will have played a big part; but there are probably other factors, common to this range of countries: a “backlog” of medical issues neglected during lockdowns, and a revival of older infectious diseases suppressed during lockdowns. Lockdowns did slow the Covid surge at critical points, but with a cost. We need...

In April 2023 a new payment scheme will be introduced which will determine how services in the NHS are financed and structured. At the same time as service providers are being instructed to make a 4% cut, this new scheme will further limit the provision of all services which come under the new Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). According to the Keep Our NHS Public campaign, this new scheme aims to control total expenditure through a single pot of money for each Integrated Care Board (ICB). The payment scheme, to be published by NHS England, will result in a postcode lottery with different prices...

The first sentence of Martin Thomas’s article, "How capitalism makes distress" ( Solidarity 659), could be a case study in how socialists shouldn’t write about medications: “Around 10% of people in richer capitalist countries are on antidepressants, though they usually do no better than placebo ” (emphasis added). Martin’s ham-fisted side comment — the second clause — in an otherwise good article, is both false and — despite intentions — dismissive. The article Martin cites itself states that they are “slightly more effective than a placebo” for “most people”, and cites a study that “for 15%...

To win, NHS workers need escalation, and that also means pushing for re-ballots, especially in trusts where Unison missed the thresholds. Currently RCN strikes are being undermined where Unison members have been instructed by their branches to cross picket lines. We have advocated support for Unison members who decide not to cross RCN picket lines. Thousands of Unison members have left their union and joined the RCN because they want to strike. Beyond that, the best way to achieve solid action in a workplace is for all the unions to win legal mandates and strike together. Winning second...