31 January
2000 doctors warn May of safety risks
Mirror
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/patient-safety-at-risk-due-9723968
Warning of GP cuts in NHS overhaul
Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/31/warning-cuts-family-doctors-nhs-overhaul/
[27+ more stories]
Will STPs kill or cure the health service?
Guardian. Bit of a no-brainer…
https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2017/jan/31/nhs-transformation-plans-health-service
1 February
MP urges people to join NHS rally (local)
Shields Gazette.
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/mp-urges-people-to-join-rally-to-help-protect-the-nhs-1-8362030
Also reported afterwards in the local Chronicle
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/hundreds-turn-out-newcastle-march-12557552
Prompted by KONP North-East, a relatively newly ‘re-established’ group. Well done, John Whalley and fellow campaigners.
An exercise in propaganda ‘spin’ – blame the ‘immigrant’
NHS failing to recover money from overseas patients because system flawed
Now watch this closely, it’s a classic triad of distraction, clamour, and quiet alternative release. First, the damning report. Independent:
And the uptake of this ‘costing millions’ (the fact that the NHS budget is under-funded by billions is largely ignored):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38809530
Followed by baying calls to charge ‘up front’ from the right press. And a disturbing tendency to conflate non-residency with ‘immigrant’. Telegraph
And others. Mirror
http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/hospitals-failing-recover-millions-isnt-9741760
The Sun went one stage further, finding ‘immigrants’ to blame who worked for the NHS. 5 Feb.
Then the ‘righteous’ response from government a few days later:
Every NHS ‘tourist’ to be charged for non-urgent treatment under law change
Telegraph and elsewhere, 6 Feb
And then, at the height of the storm, the story that would have drawn damnation: A&Es WILL close under STP plans, nationwide. Guardian, 6 Feb
Masterful distraction and PR ‘spin’ at its classic best. Open Democracy have good summaries of why charging non-residents is highly suspect and sets a dangerous precedent:
Also a critique of how the bad story was missed:
This is an example of the extent, power and influence of the PR ‘machine’ the movement as a whole is fighting. But we are winning too.
Yorkshire MP warns STPs will drage NHS ‘back to 1960s’ (local)
Yorkshire Post
2 February
May pressed NHS IT boss to break the law
Over handing over data about immigrants the government had ‘lost’. Clumsy of them. It’s not as if they don’t need people to blame. For anything. Morning Star. Includes quote from KONP’s Campaign Officer, Alan Taman.
https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-e624-May-pressed-NHS-boss-to-break-law#.WJmjarF0eks
Carillion sacked from Nottingham cleaning contract (local)
Nottingham Post
Ably publicised by KONP Nottingham. Quotes from Mike Scott. Well done Nottingham. Alan Taman gave phone interview to local radio.
Private consultancy firms already siphoning off millions in STPs (local)
Detailed story on private profiteers gaining from STPs. Includes quote from KONP Camden’s Candy Unwin. Well done Camden. Camden New Journal
http://www.camdennewjournal.com/stp-consultants
2 February
Stroud campaigners angry at Gloucs private contract (local)
Gloucestershire Live
Another private contract for out of hours service. But this story is pitched to give the campaign’s protest the lead: so the best that could be made of it. Stroud Campaign Against the Cuts. Well done.
Also picked up by the Stroud News, as Labour councillors take up the call
3 February
Kent CCG suspends all elective surgery until April
Telegraph
Former Tory health adviser joins US private health firm
Independent. Another example of the ‘revolving door’ patronage increasingly defining politics but with worrying indications about what that means for health policy. Includes a quote from Alan Taman
Junior doctors leaving training after 2 years
The predictable result of the way they are being treated. Obscene waste of talent, motivation and public money. Mirror
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/soaring-numbers-junior-doctors-leave-9752714
4 February
Hundreds turn up for protests over NHS cuts (local)
Chronicle Live (north-east). Includes line attributing success to KONP North-East. Well Done North-East KONP.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/nhs-rally-newcastle-live-updates-12556056
5 February
Health bosses slammed over lack of STP consultation (local)
Oxford Mail. Includes quote from Oxford KONP’s Veronica Treacher. Well done Oxford.
GP practice sets up private option – £145 a go (local)
Practice claims they need to do this to survive. Chomsky vindicated: de-fund, de-motivate, privatise. The future for all, unless we can stop it. Southern Daily Echo
Growing waiting times threat to NHS
BBC News. Hugh Pym, the BBC’s health correspondent, is airing some of the views of the movement
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38859225
6 February
Can we save the NHS through NI contributions?
A sensible point from the Independent
Desperate patients beg for lives through crowd funding sites
The human cost of the inhumane marketing of our health service. In case you still thought personal bankruptcies and relying on charities for health treatment could never happen here. This must not become everyone’s future. Mirror
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/desperate-patients-rejected-treatment-nhs-9758457
A busy week for press activity, with the government announcement on charging for non-residents. KONP received several enquiries nationally, including the Independent, the Victoria Derbyshire Show, Morning Star and Channel 4 News, as well as several calls relating to local stories which were fielded to the respective group contact or dealt with directly. There was some recognition in some mainstream media that the ‘immigrant problem’ was the distraction it clearly was intended to be and local successes continue to encourage.
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.
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