Press release: NHS must be top priority

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[Friday 9 June 2017]

Keep Our NHS Public reacted to the news of a hung parliament by saying that the NHS must be a top priority in any new government.

Keep Our NHS Public’s co-chair and retired consultant paediatrician Dr Tony O’Sullivan said:

“With the Conservative loss of their majority, Labour and the other political parties now have the chance to give the people of this country what they want: a restored, public health service in the form of a publicly run NHS.

“The new government will face many conflicting priorities, but the NHS must remain at the top of this list and not be swept aside by Brexit or security considerations. After years of systematic neglect and under-funding, the NHS is nearing collapse and needs swift and decisive action to restore it to the great public service it was and can be.

“If Britain is to stand united, a fair health service is a pre-requisite. A strong economy first requires a strong NHS and a healthy and well-educated population. And at the moment it is grossly unfair that that nearly 4 million people are waiting for treatment; many are forced to travel further . Many others are forced to pay out of their own pockets if they can for the treatment they should be entitled to under the NHS and for which people pay their taxes. This travesty is completely avoidable and must stop. The NHS must be given the funds it needs. Privatisation in the NHS must be halted. The new government must redress the ills attacking our NHS and must do so immediately.”

[Ends]

 

Editors’ Notes

Keep Our NHS Public was formed in 2005 and has a broad-based, public membership. There are over 75 local groups, and over 30 affiliated organisations plus a national association. It has the explicit aim of countering marketisation *§ and privatisation of the NHS by campaigning for a publicly funded, publicly provided and publicly accountable NHS, available to all on the basis of clinical need. It is opposed to cuts in service which run counter to these principles. Further details: www.keepournhspublic.com

 

KONP’s Campaigns and Press Officer is Alan Taman:

07870 757 309

[email protected]

Twitter: https://twitter.com/keepnhspublic

Facebook: Keep-Our-NHS-Public

 

* Davis, J., Lister, J. and Wrigley, D. (2015) NHS For Sale. London: Merlin Press.

Leys, C. and Player, S. (2011) The Plot Against the NHS. Pontypool: Merlin

Lister, J. (2008) The NHS After 60: For Patients or Profits? London: Middlesex University Press

Owen, D. (2014) The Health of the Nation: The NHS in Peril. York: Methuen, Chapter 4.

Player, S. (2013) ‘Ready for market’. In NHS SOS ed by Davis, J. and Tallis, R. London: Oneworld, pp.38-61.

 

  • ‘Competition is always best’ as a governing principle does not work when applied to healthcare. A comprehensive and universal health service is best funded by public donation, which has been shown to be far more efficient overall than private-insurance healthcare models

[Davis, J., Lister, J. and Wrigley, D. (2015) NHS For Sale. London: Merlin Press. Chapters 2 and 8.

Lister, J. (2013) Health Policy Reform: global health versus private profit. Libri: Faringdon.

Pollock, A. and Price, D. (2013) In NHS SOS, ed by Davis, J. and Tallis, R. Oneworld: London, 174.]


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