The NHS is under attack from all sides as the Government has used the cover of the pandemic to force through privatisation plans, with the controversial White Paper released on February 11th, the roll out of ‘Integrated Care Systems’ through the ‘Health and Care Bill’, the sell-off GP services, and continuing cronyism – all carried out at a time of increased danger brought about by the Trade Bill, and in the context of cuts, closures and the ongoing sale of NHS land and buildings. It is a complex picture but, as far as the Government is concerned, with one direction of travel.
Click here to see the extent of privatisation and outsourcing in the health service in your area
…..we have a health service now….but there’s no doubt about it….we’ll miss it more when it’s gone….
Privatisation v Public ownership. It isn’t just about some ideological battle. It’s about whether all of us can have access to a strong NHS. There’s a lot to lose – and a lot we could gain if we all demand that public services work for people not profit. Say NO to privatisation.
….and in the recent (2022) Survation poll, there is overwhelming support for public ownership in the “red wall” constituencies (click here for the article in the Mirror)
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More recently, the Savanta poll, conducted for left Foot Forward, shows mass support for public ownership and little confidence in the private sector – click here for the article in LFF (8th November 2023)
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And it is sad to post the following tables.
This was the situation around 10 years ago. The NHS was the best healthcare system in the world, ranked number 1 by the Commonwealth Fund.
A decade of Tory underfunding and criminal grade neglect has delivered the crisis we’re in. The Commonwealth Fund’s Mirror, Mirror report – which analyses how healthcare in the US compares with services in other rich countries – has downgraded the NHS from top spot to fourth position in its global rankings, citing increased patient delays post-covid and lack of investment as the main reasons for the change….political decisions which pave the way for increased privatisation.
The NHS achieved top place in the Washington-based thinktank’s two previous reports, but now ranks behind Norway, the Netherlands and Australia.
See: The Lowdown (10th August 2021) NHS loses top spot in international rankings
The Guardian (4th August 2021) NHS drops from first to fourth among rich countries’ healthcare systems
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and also…..
Comparison of healthcare systems; efficiency and effectiveness
From: Mark E Thomas Amending the Health and Care Bill (September 28th 2021)
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NHS patients are being provided with harmful, unnecessary surgery in the private sector. In addition to the harm caused to patients, billing the NHS for unnecessary surgery is fraud. Excellent research by Shaun Lintern, Sunday Times (10th September 2023) You can pay for private healthcare — but can you trust it?
More graphics and tables are on our “NHS Cuts” page here
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To find out more about privatisation, please click the following pages:
For the cost of private treatments, click here
For NHS privatisation associated with Covid 19 and cronyism, click here
For The Peoples Covid Inquiry, click here
For the Policing Bill 2021, and the clampdown on protest about NHS privatisation, click here
For Questions to NE Councils re NHS privatisation, click here
For info re privatisation in North Tyneside Primary Care (“Livi”), click here
For the KONPNE response to North Tyneside CCGs evaluation of “Livi”, click here
For info re privatisation in other Primary Care locations, click here
For privatisation in A&E at York, click here
For the privatisation of Urgent Care throughout the North East, click here
For the privatisation of health interventions and treatments, click here
For cuts to dentistry. click here
For privatisation associated with the Health and Care Bill and Integrated Care Systems, click here
For privatisation through wholly-owned subsidiary companies, click here
For sale of NHS land and buildings, click here
For info re the KONPNE powerpoint presentation, click here
For NHS privatisation associated with the 2020 Trade Bill, click here
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scroll down this page for:
1: Articles
2: Video and audio
3: Books
4: When We Own It – A model for public ownership in the 21st century
5: NHS Bill