NHS and health

Action on Covid-19

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...

How "Integrated Care Boards" will hurt the NHS

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...

How antidepressants can help

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%...

NHS: reballot, unite, organise

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...

NHS: escalate and unite after 6-7 February

The next NHS strikes are on 6-7 February, when members of the RCN from acute, specialist and ambulance trusts across England and Wales will come out. This will be the biggest action in the health dispute so far. GMB ambulance members will be striking along RCN members on the 6th. The physiotherapy union, CSP, will strike on 7 and 9 February, and Unison ambulance workers again on 10 February. We need to ensure the picket lines in this next round of action are full of talk about a strategy that can win. That means escalating strikes and co-ordination between the unions. The leaderships of all...

Action on Covid-19

Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Sweden, the four countries with relatively reliable statistics and recent relatively high Covid rates, all now report downturns. So does China, but the danger of a fierce new variant emerging this winter remains. We call for: • a sustained public-health testing-and-surveillance system • good sick pay for all • restore NHS funding and repeal privatisation • requisition private hospitals to augment NHS resources • bringing social care into the public sector with NHS-level pay and conditions for staff • specialist public clinics for post-Covid conditions, more...

Why I refused to cross the picket line

Health trade unions should have been calling on members to respect the picket lines of other unions and refuse to cross. However, the instruction from Unison to members has been that we had to report into work as normal. They said: “Unison balloted our members separately to other unions and so Unison members should not take part in any industrial action organised by the other unions. If you do make an individual decision to refuse to work or cross picket lines when your colleagues from other unions are taking action you may find yourself at risk of dismissal”. In my trust this resulted in...

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