31 July
Relationship between councils and NHS cracking under strain
Grim summary of what the cuts and over-bearing ministerial tramplings are doing to what is supposed to be a core relationship between co-operating parties (see next item)
[12 more stories]
2 August
How to keep people out of hospital?
Guardian’s summary of the rationale for ACOs. Fails to address the cardinal point: if the whole system is meant to work on cooperation between providers, what’s going to happen when some of them are private and profit-led and some are NHS and budget bound? Do the words ‘the life out of’ and ‘suck’ not spring to mind? How do you guard against that, exactly? Does the ‘arrangement’ even define this as a risk?
https://keepournhspublic.com/news-events/konp-new-briefing-to-mps-and-councillors/
Lack of workforce planning for nursing
Fair comment on the crisis in nursing and what is behind it. Prospect
4 August
NHS ‘must put house in order’ before seeking more cash
Brigg Report points to need for more improvements. Guardian
Also later followed up by the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40825987
Campaigners to stage protest over hospital closure (local)
Good example of pre-publicity possible once a good relationship with local press is built up. Burton KONP cited as one of organisers; well done Burton. Burton Mail
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/news/burton-news/campaigners-stage-protest-over-queens-280756
With the follow-up 2 days later, again citing Burton KONP amongst others.
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/news/burton-news/protesters-march-through-burton-oppose-285379
Chester MP at odds with Trust over private fertility clinic (local)
Another example of the growing trend for NHS trusts to court private health facilities within their own property – which is in an NHS area facing immense budgetary pressure, you will notice: “Run it down, wait for people to complain, bring in the private suppliers…”. Chester Chronicle
http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/chester-mp-hospital-boss-odds-13425456
6 August
NHS sent cancer patients ads for private treatment
There is nothing good, ethically supportable or publicly sound about this. It is quite simply an abhorrent wrong. Leeds KONP are on to it… Guardian
Also the Independent
NHS to recruit ‘British’ nurses to avoid agency costs after Brexit
So the government cuts the bursary, makes those already here feel unwelcome, and makes no promises about recruiting from overseas (which the NHS has always had to do); instead ‘official are making plans’ to hire ‘home grown nurses’ after the magic of Brexit. This seems to wander dangerously close to delusion. Where are they coming from, then? Telegraph
IVF cut back in England to save money
No coincidence that the reports of private IVF clinics being set up in NHS buildings are increasing. Guardian
8 August
Maternity ward closures in England
Guardian and others reporting on Labour’s FOI data. Unacceptable risks in midwifery through cuts have been with us for several years and are getting worse. This is the latest manifestation.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/08/nhs-maternity-wards-england-forced-closures-labour
Campaigners unite to stop STP in Oxfordshire (local)
Oxford KONP listed amongst others. Good example of collaborative demonstration and local press coverage. Well done, Oxford. Oxford Mail
Recent national enquiries have included the Morning Star and LBC radio (the latter for live phone-in contributions).
These summaries provide a guide to the main stories in the preceding week, but you can get alerts sent about health stories to 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.
Leave a Reply