Obviously it is not a quiet time for our NHS, which is experiencing a huge rise in patients attending A&Es along with significant staff shortages thus placing even greater demand on our overstretched and exhausted staff. At the very least they deserve a decent pay rise not a measly 3%!
Instead of responding to the pressures on the NHS the Government is going ahead with a major re –organisation, which you can read about in this month’s newsletter.
You can also read about the latest news on the GP Data Grab, our recent visit to Ealing Hospital, New prescription charges for 60 +, sign the latest Petition and more…..
IT’S CARNIVAL TIME IN HANWELL – JOIN US ON SATURDAY 21 AUGUST
Once again Ealing Save Our NHS is joining in the festivities with our colourful Stall and some fun for the kids. We have some great new leaflets on the mental health crisis and the dangers of the Governments new Health & Care Bill, balloons and stickers too.
It has become a tradition to have a photo opportunity and this year ‘Love the NHS, dont let it be a skeleton service‘ is our theme with our ‘skeleton face in the hole’ – as you can see from the photo above.
If you are visiting Hanwell Carnival please come and say a hello, take a photo and a leaflet or have a look at our new leaflets here and here
INVITE TO VISIT TO EALING HOSPITAL – A GOOD NEWS STORY:
At the end of last month ESON was invited to a walk around at Ealing Hospital to see the investment and improvements in services and meet Joanna Paul the Director of Operations at the Hospital, who was accompanied by Simon Crawford, Deputy Chief Executive, London North West Trust who run Ealing Hospital. A few photos are above.
It is once again a busy time at Ealing for Covid patients as wards have had to be reopened to see new cases but thankfully not the numbers previously seen.
Big changes have had to be made to minimise the spread of Covid so services have been be re-located, which is working well, and at the same time have been much upgraded. In particular there has been considerable investment in improving Older Peoples in-patient wards and clinics, which are very welcoming and the Paediatric Outpatient and Day Surgery Unit is frankly delightful.
Diagnostic services have been reinstated with 3 MRI scans now operating on the site and Endoscopy is set to expand. There has also been digital investment making it easier for doctors to monitor patients and access patient data.
It is very welcome to see Ealing Hospital getting some much needed investment and we hope this will continue. Thanks to the Trust for inviting us.
OTHER LOCAL NEWS:
Ealing Hospital suspended services to be restored:
The Review of the Trust’s suspension of Emergency Overnight Surgery and the Trauma & Orthopedic Service at Ealing has recommended that both services be fully restored. We are told this won’t be instant as they have to sort out extra staffing, but it’s still good news.
Ealing Breast Care Clinic:
Ealing currently has 2 Breast Clinics (pre Covid it had 4) whereas Central Middx has 7 and Northwick Park has 5 – quite a disparity! We have been lobbying hard for the restoration of the 2 Breast Clinics that were cut due to Covid. The Trust has now told us they intend to restore these Clinics – but no date yet. We also want to see a return of surgery so that Ealing women can get a full one stop service.
Northwick Park Maternity:
Following the recent CQC inspectors report which downgraded the maternity service to ‘inadequate’ (not the service we were promised when they closed Ealing’ s Maternity) we have been pressing hard for re-assurances that Ealing mums will be safe and get a caring service. The Trust and the North West London ICS, who are now monitoring the Trust, both say the changes they have made mean it’s now safe. A huge amount of work needs to be done to improve the service and they say it will take time. We will do our best to monitor it too.
3% WONT PAY THE RENT OR HELP RETAIN NHS STAFF:
NHS workers and their unions have been protesting against the dismal 3% pay award, this Summer. In July ‘NHS Workers SAY NO’ handed in an 800,000 strong petition to Downing Street calling for 15% now and demonstrations have been taking place around the country.
Since 2010, NHS pay has failed to keep pace with inflation so staff have experienced a real terms cut of at least 15% and the 3% doesn’t even cover inflation, currently at 3.9%.
Unite, GMB, the RCN and Unison are balloting members on whether they support the 3% and considering the next steps of their pay campaigns, including possible strike action. Junior doctors, who have not been awarded 3%, and Consultants are also being consulted about industrial action by the BMA.
With demoralisation and exhaustion at an all-time high the 3% award, which in non-negotiable, will do nothing to stem the escalating recruitment and retention crisis.
ESON is supporting our NHS staff all the way in their fight for pay justice as can be seen by the photo above at our July 3rd NHS Birthday celebration.
HEALTH & CARE BILL – A REAL DANGER FOR THE NHS:
Loss of local accountability and control, centralisation of decision making and budgets, more lucrative contracts for the private sector without competition and wide sweeping powers for the Secretary of State are key dangers facing our NHS from this Bill.
Well known national campaigner JOHN LISTER has written an analysis of the dangers in the Bill in the latest edition of Health Campaigns Together.
And we have summarised his article with some local examples in the latest article on our website, which you can READ HERE
SIGN THE PETITION: SCRAP THE HEALTH & CARE BILL!
ESON will be joining with other campaigners around the country to raise awareness about the threat to the NHS of this Bill and do our best to oppose it.
You can help by signing this Petition headed up by Dr Louise Irvine from Keep Our NHS Public and help spread the word.
Please also keep up to date by reading our Newsletter and following us on Facebook and Twitter.
YOU CAN SIGN THE PETITION HERE
DATA GRAB POSTPONED AGAIN!
The Government’s plan to take the patient records which GPs hold on everyone in England and enter them all into one massive database has been postponed again.
Government Minister Jo Churchill, has told GPs that the uploading of patient data will not take place until –
- The ability to delete data if patients choose to opt-out of sharing their GP data with NHS Digital, even if this is after their data has been uploaded;
- The backlog of opt-outs has been fully cleared;
- A Trusted Research Environment has been developed and implemented in NHS Digital and;
- Patients have been made more aware of the scheme through a campaign of engagement and communication
This a significant backdown brought about by pressure from GPs, like those in East London refusing to comply, campaign groups, professional bodies and of course patients who opted out in droves!
Leading Data Grab campaigners, Foxglove and Med Confidential are not convinced that all the Governments promises will happen. In the meantime we think if you have concerns the best thing is to opt out – you can always opt back in again!
Latest News from MedConfidential
HAVE YOUR SAY – OPPOSE NEW PRESCRIPTION CHARGES FOR OVER 60s!
The Government is trying to sneak through a so- called ‘consultation’ this Summer on its plan to introduce prescription charges for people aged 60-66.
It is all being done under the guise that as State Pension Age has now moved to 66 so should the right to free prescriptions.
All in all its pretty nasty when so many older people are struggling and women in particular were hard hit by the rising of state pension age.
The Consultation closes on 2nd September and its short and easy to complete
More information can be found here and a link to the online consultation questionnaire HERE
THE SUMMER ISSUE OF ‘HEALTH CAMPAIGNS TOGETHER’ BULLETIN – A GREAT READ
Written in newspaper format, with lots of well-presented and easy to read information on the NHS Bill; the Covid crisis; Maternity Safety issues; the £10bn private sector contract and much more….
You can read it online here –
