Press Summary: 21 February

14 February

Great NHS gamble (local)

Lancashire Post, widely citing KONP member David Wrigley. Well done David. Part of the Johnston Group’s coordinated look at the NHS.

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/health/the-great-nhs-gamble-secret-plans-to-trim-millions-from-health-budgets-1-8387977

Also the Yorkshire Post

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/health/nhs-special-report-impending-disaster-of-downgrading-emergency-units-1-8387525

[7+ more stories]

15 February

 

Maternity Units across England face axe under STPs

Mirror

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/maternity-units-across-england-facing-9828372

 

17 February

 

Is charging a solution for the NHS?

BBC News. Sinister for two reasons. First, it normalises the question: it makes asking the question seem ‘normal’, hence establish a precedent for the government to keep that narrative going to its inevitable conclusion. The question could be ‘Why is thinking about charging for NHS services even being considered?’. Secondly, it plays to some growing attitudes around blaming those in poor health for being ill. By posing the question ‘should those who have brought the illness on themselves pay for treatment?’. It yielded shockingly close responses in favour and against. This is about shifting blame for the failures in NHS delivery away from government and towards those leading ‘unhealthy lifestyles’ – usually the poor.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38913394

 

NHS chief embarrassed by questions over STP (local)

Hackney Gazette. Hackney KONP’s Coral Jones given much of the credit. Well done Coral.

http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/health/no_answers_from_nhs_chief_over_stp_plans_as_she_admits_i_ve_only_been_here_five_weeks_1_4895336

 

NHS needs £9.5 billion – BMA

Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/14/nhs-needs-95bn-upfront-to-secure-its-future-says-bma

 

NHS cuts blamed for 3,000 deaths

Independent.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/nhs-cuts-excess-deaths-30000-study-research-royal-society-medicine-london-school-hygiene-martin-a7585001.html

 

18 February

 

Charities call for NHS to stop rationing critical care

Guardian. Yet still they will not listen. The consummate example of arrogance.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/18/charities-stop-nhs-rationing-critical-care

 

20 February

 

NHS at breaking point – BMA

Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/20/nhs-at-breaking-point-according-to-british-medical-association

Also reported in the Sunday Express and the Telegraph, which quoted Alan Taman speaking for Doctors for the NHS

 

King’s Fund Report on STPs largely agrees with government: giving the Sun its ‘Hospitals must close’ headline:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2913871/hospitals-must-close-in-order-to-save-the-nhs/

And widely elsewhere.

KONP Co-chair Tony O’Sullivan appeared on Good Morning Britain, speaking out against the established view that the current crisis ‘must’ mean hospital closures.

 

A very busy week for press, with several requests for quotes from national print titles and from national TV leading up to and in the wake of the King’s Fund Report on STPs (21 Feb).

 

Several branches are sending in press releases – thank you. We need more! Local successes are at least matching national ‘presence’, which is to be expected – but it helps to know of any successes, or even unsuccessful attempts. Please send to Alan Taman: [email protected]

 

This service is provided as a guide to the main stories, but you can get alerts sent about health stories yourself every day. This is done through Google news and Google alerts: free services anyone can set up. To find out how to do this, go to the Steering Group, News & Events section on the KONP website (https://keepournhspublic.com/support-konp/steering-group-page/news-events/ ) and look for the “starter set of instructions”.

 

Mobile devices also have free apps that provide news, which you can filter with varying degrees of control.