The NHS is very much in the news again with the publication of the Government’s ‘NHS Long Term Plan’, which sets out how the much publicised £20.5 billion will be spent over the next 10 years. There will be some further analysis from Keep Our NHS Public and Health Campaigns Together but their initial thoughts and comments suggest we can expect more bed cuts, rationing and privatisation. – More on this later.
First Street Stalls of 2019 – Saturday 19th January:
We are back on the streets, with two simultaneous Stalls from 11.00 – 1.00pm in Pitshanger Lane (near the Co-op) and in Greenford Broadway (near the Wishing Well Bar). Hopefully it won’t be too cold! We will have plenty of leaflets, stickers and ‘Save Ealing Hospital’ posters to give out. If you can spare an hour or so to help, it would be lovely to see you.
Half of CCGS ‘require improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ and many are in financial trouble!
The National Audit Office has published a really interesting report on the role and costs of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). These local health bosses, in our case Ealing CCG, commission, monitor and pay for local health services such as Ealing Hospital and community health services (out of hospital services)
They are monitored by NHS England and frankly they are not doing too well. Of the 195 CCGs; 42% are rated ‘requires improvement’; 48% rated ‘good’ and only 10% rated ‘outstanding’. 50% of the criteria are financial sustainability and quality of leadership. It is quite alarming to read that 24 CCGs are reported to be ‘failing’ or ‘at risk of failing’ and one of these is likely to be Harrow, who are commissioners for Northwick Park Hospital. We have also heard that other North West London CCGs are in financial difficulties including Hammersmith & Fulham and Ealing, which we shall certainly be following up.
The Report can be read here –
Leading NHS campaigners say Government’s ‘NHS Long Term Plans’ spells danger.
Overall the key feature of the 10 year Plan is to keep people out of hospital by whatever means they can, and open the doors to even greater privatisation – all of which spells danger for the NHS. Plans to cut beds, ‘reduce demand’ through care in the community and ‘self – care’ may sound all too familiar. Well it should, as that’s what North West London’s bosses ‘Shaping a Health Future’ plan has been trying to do in Ealing, and now they are rolling it out around the country.
As well as ‘treating more people’ in the community, the government wants virtual consultation and online diagnostic tools to increasingly replace face to face consultations with GPs. Greater emphasis is to be placed on telling patients to look after themselves (’empowering us to take more care of our health’) through health prevention schemes and so-called ‘social prescribing’ of dance classes and the like.
Big plans are also afoot to change the way GPs operate with huge primary care networks servicing up to 50,000 patients and cash incentives for GPs to avoid referring patients to hospital.
And as for the much publicised ‘extra’ £20.5 billion, I think Roy Lilley, one time NHS Trust Chair and health policy analyst sums it up rather well – “ After nearly 10 years of flat line funding if anyone says to you the ‘NHS has had a bonanza bung’, they are either fools, liars or can’t add up!
Please read the initial thoughts from leading campaigners, Tony O’Sullivan, KONP Chair, and John Lister, Editor of Health Campaigns Together here –
You might also be interested in this article on the dangers of privatisation from GP, Youssef El Gingihy
‘NHS Plan Unfit’ – Protest Thursday 31st January
NHS England, the architects of the 10 year plan have their Board Meeting on 31st January. Keep Our NHS Public wants to give them a clear message from campaigners – ‘NO TO CUTS, RATIONING AND PRIVATISATION’. There will be a Rally outside the meeting on 31st January from 10.00 onwards at Skipton House, 80 London Road, SE1 6LH. Our Ealing Save Our NHS banner will be there from 10.30 to 12.00.
Ealing Save Our NHS AGM & Campaign Meeting – Tuesday 15th January:
It’s the time of the year when we review developments, what we have achieved over the past year and discuss our campaigning priorities for 2019. It is a good opportunity to find out what we have been doing and help us plan our campaigning for the next few months. Why not come along?
The meeting starts at 7.30pm Northfields Community Centre, 71a Northcroft Road, Ealing W13 9SS (Come a few minutes early if you want tea and coffee)
