Our NHS is on its knees. It used to be one of the best healthcare services in the world and, until recently, it was free for everyone when they needed it – and it worked. After 14 years of deliberate government neglect and politicians’ ‘reforms’, the NHS and its principles have been eroded. The NHS is less accessible – nearly 8 million people are on waiting lists, care is not available when needed, and people are dying as a consequence. Many patients have to pay out of pocket for private care. But we know that the NHS model delivers great care when funded fully and not weakened by outsourced private contracts. We must restore the model we know works and rebuild an NHS that is universal and free for all to access, comprehensive, publicly funded, publicly provided, and accountable to us all.
WHAT ARE THE FACTS?
- GPs are under intense pressure and it can be hard to get to see one
- The NHS is no longer always free at the point you need it. Patients now have to pay
to access dozens of procedures that have been removed from NHS provision, many of which are clearly beneficial such as earwax removal – this is heightening health inequality - Important sections of the NHS are no longer publicly provided – they are contracted to the private sector, and this has weakened the public NHS
- The 2012 Health and Care Act has increased a lack of accountability, with decision- making taken from local communities
- Commercial confidentiality prevents public scrutiny of private companies operating within our NHS
- Private hospitals have been shown to be unsafe, despite cherry picking low-risk patients
- Free health care is denied to over 1 million of the population, categorised as ‘undocumented’ people (including 200k children) leaving them without access to hospital and mental health care, except immediate emergency treatment
WHAT MUST HAPPEN NOW?
- Return the NHS to its founding principles
- Fund it well and drive out private healthcare
- Respect staff and pay them fairly
- Rebuild a safe and effective public health service and reduce health inequalities
- Campaign for a People’s NHS that can once again be the envy of the world
- Build an NHS for all of us, freed from the fear of waiting lists and health charges
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