The NHS came to life on 5 July 1948 and since then has provided healthcare for the people of the United Kingdom; free for all at the point of delivery.
Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan, Health Secretary at that time, made it clear that all people should have access to good healthcare, stating that the health service would be available to all and financed entirely from taxation, which means that people (to this day) pay into it according to their means. It was a hugely ambitious plan that met serious opposition but Nye Bevan did not give in and the NHS is a fact. (history lesson done) But, it would seem, not for much longer...
Over the years, many changes have taken place and (as with everything) some of those were good, some of those were not so good. However, the most damaging changes are being affected right now and they will see the end of the NHS that we all know and love. To say that this is all caused by the current Tory government is understandable but incorrect. Some of the current reforms were started under the previous Labour government. The Tories are just taking it to the next level...
In 2007, Labour health minister Alan Johnson approved plans for the largest restructuring of District General Hospitals (DGHs). This led to a loss of a third of consultant-led maternity units, reducing the total from 12 to 8 in Greater Manchester, and was part of a downsizing operation carried out nationwide. Sir David Nicholson, appointed by Tony Blair in 2006, stated 'The wicked issue of maternity services had to be tackled.' Trade Unions refused to organise any action against the attacks and instead promoted the review process as a means to reverse the closure plans. Labour MP Hazel Blears was allowed to pass herself off as an opponent of the closure of the local (Salford) maternity unit, while ensuring that this was reduced to accepting a downgraded service; stand-alone Midwife-Led Units (MLUs). This was promoted as a significant concession,smoothing the path for the bulk of the cuts to proceed.
Local health chiefs and clinicians backing the plans to close A&Es in Greater Manchester have shown their intent in the paper, “The Greater Manchester Case for Change.” It dismisses DGHs as a hangover from the past.
Right now, services provided in your own local hospital are at risk of being removed, or are at risk of being overstretched due to more patients being send through to it (due to closures at other hospitals). Right now, people are fighting to stop this from happening.
Right now, services are open for competitive tendering, meaning that private companies such as Virgin (the one from the plains and trains) Healthcare will take the most profitable services, leaving the rest for the NHS. Right now, people are fighting to stop this from happening.
Fifty-one thousand people marched in Stafford against the closure of their services, sixty thousand people signed a petition in Salford to retain their services. Up and down the country people are coming together to help fight the backdoor privatisation of the NHS. Their fight continues, every day, and they battle more than just government's plans; they battle the biased reporting in the media (supposedly left-wing media included). It is difficult these days to open a newspaper without finding an article about the dire situation of the NHS, yet there is very little to no covering of the actions being taken by the public to save services. It seems that it is impossible to get your voice heard in the national media unless you are part of Julie Bailey's group 'Cure the NHS'.
I will leave you with the following words:
The NHS; it is Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan's legacy and our inheritance
