And a big thanks to everyone who has supported us over the year
It has been a a busy year and thanks to our dedicated group of supporters we have maintained our highly successful Street Stalls around the Borough. We have also had some very lively protests, including our celebrations of the 75th NHS Birthday in July, where we collected over 100 fantastic message of support for NHS staff.
Our colourful leaflets and posters, and more recently our very popular postcards to MPs, have focused on the need for urgent funding now, ending privatisation, which is undermining our NHS and the need for decent pay, conditions and respect for our hard working NHS staff.
We end our campaigning year with yet another successful Stall in Greenford – thanks to the public for their continued support.
PATIENT TRUST AT RISK AS PALANTIR WINS CONTRACT – LEGAL ACTION LAUNCHED
US spy tech company ‘Palantir’ has been awarded a £330 million contract to run the new NHS Federated Data Platform, despite concerns over the firm’s suitability for handling sensitive health records.
NHS England has rejected data privacy campaigners’ calls to allow patients to opt out of having their health data shared. It claims this is not necessary because patients’ data will be anonymised and the platform will be used for “direct care” only.
Cori Crider, the director of tech justice group ‘Foxglove’, said the lack of an opt out “puts [the] government on a crash course with people’s expectation that they, not officials, should decide what’s done with their health data.”
Dr David Nicholl, spokesperson for the ‘Doctors’ Association UK’ (DAUK), said that “basic issues of informed consent are being ignored, and this deal could lead to a loss of privacy and seriously erode patient trust”.
Foxglove, Doctors Association UK and others have launched a legal challenge and have sent legal letters to the government seeking commitments about the safeguarding of patient data and complying with the law. They could well be back in court again – WATCH THIS SPACE
SUPPORT THE COVID BEREAVED FAMILIES – THEIR FIGHT FOR JUSTICE CONTINUES:
In February 2021 ‘Keep Our NHS Public’, our national organisation launched the ‘Peoples Covid Inquiry’ which collected a wide range of shocking evidence of Government misconduct.
Despite everything we heard at the time the official Covid Inquiry has been even more shocking! Top of the list must be the hideous comments from ‘let the bodies pile high’ Boris Johnson’ who along with other Government Ministers saw mounting deaths of older people as acceptable as they ‘had their innings’ – unbelievable. No wonder his ’apology’ caused so much outrage among the bereaved families.
None of the leading politicians have been willing to take any blame for the 233,554 deaths , the second worst in Europe. And Rishi Sunak, or as the Chief Medical Officer calls him, ‘Dr Death’ due to his Eat Out to Help Out (the Virus) policy said 24 times that he couldn’t recall details – not very impressive for a Prime Minister!
‘Covid Bereaved Families for Justice’ have been determined to get answers so that lessons can be learned and lives saved in the future. Many of them have spent thousands of pounds travelling to the Inquiry every day to make sure their presence is felt.
THEY REALLY NEED OUR SUPPORT
If you can donate to help the families continue in their fight for the facts, truth and justice please donate here –
JUNIOR DOCTORS TO STRIKE AGAIN AS TALKS FAIL TO PRODUCE A CREDIBLE PAY OFFER:
The BMA is to take further strike action after talks with the Government ended without ‘a credible offer on pay’ despite ‘more constructive’ talks.
Strikes are set to take place from 7.00 am on the 20 December to 7.00 am on 23 December 2023 and from 7.00 am on the 3 January to 7.00 am on 9 January 2024.
The BMA Junior Doctors Committee said – “It is a great shame that even though the approach was more constructive, there was not enough on offer to shape a credible deal, which we hoped would end the dispute. Without enough progress by the deadline, we have no choice but to take action that demonstrates doctors are as determined as ever in reversing their pay cuts.
Clearly neither patients nor doctors want to see any more strike action – but the Government has refused to talk to to the BMA until very recently and should have come up with a credible offer to settle the dispute and stop Junior doctors from leaving the NHS.
DOES THE NHS HAVE ENOUGH MONEY?
It has become popular these days for politicians to say that the NHS has enough money, it just needs to spend it differently, reorganise, reprioritise and stop waste.
Unfortunately this view, which had driven years of Tory austerity and funding cuts now seems to have been adopted by Wes Streeting, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary. He said in a recent interview in the Sunday Times: “It’s not good enough that the NHS uses every winter crisis and every challenge it faces as an excuse to ask for more money.”
No surprise that this statement has been seen as a real kick in the teeth to struggling NHS workers, especially in the A&Es and ambulance services.
More on the interview with Wes Streeting and the staff response here
SO WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
The UK currently spends £3055 per person on the NHS, 18% less than the EU average of £3655. We have fewer doctors per head, 3 per 1000 compared with the EU average of 3.7 and fewer nurses per head with only 8.7 compared to the EU average of 9.9 – so not awash with money.
In January 2023 the Government promised the NHS there would be 5000 extra beds and over 800 ambulances this winter, in the Autumn Budget the NHS got nothing. 51 new ambulances have been planned but the bed situation has got worse with 2,675 fewer beds With nearly one in nine 152,115 patients already waiting 12-hours or more from their time of arrival at A&E – the need for more funding couldn’t be clearer.
More on the Winter Crisis in ‘THE Lowdown’ here
Campaigners like us certainly have our work cut out to get politicians of all parties to understand that without proper funding and support for NHS staff the situation will only get worse. With a general election coming up, our postcards to local MPs are certainly going out at the right time!
COMING UP IN THE NEW YEAR:
ESON AGM & Campaign Meeting – Tuesday 16th January 2024 in Northfields Community Centre -help us to plan our next steps in campaigning up to the General Election and beyond – ALL WELCOME
Keep Our NHS Public National Day of Action – February 2024 – Watch this space for more details
If you would like to get involved in our campaign and / or receive more regular updates please email us at info@ealingsaveournhs.com
Wishing you all a very Happy Xmas and a Happy New Year
Best Regards
Eve Turner
Secretary, Ealing Save Our NHS
