THE NHS UNDER THREAT

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2019 :: RMTnews 26 While all eyes are on the Brexit crisis, the future of our NHS is hanging in the balance. The NHS is already in crisis, yet the Tory government is embarked on a process of destroying its basic principles. They plan to have our health service run by business units which they call “Integrated Care Providers” (ICPs). Each of these business units would control health and social care budgets for around half a million people – and private companies could bid to run them. Campaign group Keep Our NHS Public warns the introduction of ICPs would: • Dis-integrate the NHS • Give control to non-NHS bodies potentially beyond scrutiny • Threaten public accountability • Hand over control to these non-NHS bodies for 10-15 years • Open the door to private companies winning these contracts On top of that, underpaid NHS staff are having to cope with huge and increasing numbers of vacancies – made even worse as EU staff leave in big numbers having been promised no security by Mrs May. NHS trusts in England have been forced to check the immigration status of patients and demand up-front payment for care. It does not include GP services or A&E… yet. This nasty new system increases costs more than it saves and - as Nye Bevan warned almost 70 years ago when he rejected any such restrictions on the NHS — British-born patients are also being obliged to produce passports and go through the same oppressive bureaucracy. For health workers, it’s as bad as US medics having to check a patient’s insurance or credit card before proceeding with treatment - which is exactly why it’s been brought in of course. The replacement of our NHS with a two-tier insurance- based system appears to be a Tory goal. If they succeed huge numbers of people would end up living with illness and even dying, which is exactly what happens in many countries around the world including the USA. Insurance systems and private healthcare also give employers an additional weapon to use against their staff – the loss of a job that pays for health insurance is a frightening prospect. RMT has always fought for a ‘social wage’ as well as a workers wage and the NHS is a vital part of that. Over the last year the twin national campaigns Health Campaigns Together and Keep Our NHS Public have been supported by many national unions, including the health unions and even the TUC. Campaigns to save hospitals and the NHS have mushroomed all over the UK – it’s become the biggest grass roots movement since the poll tax campaign that overturned Thatcher. The Tories are feeling the pressure. Unfortunately, the last Labour government hugely extended NHS privatisation by bringing in rip-off Private Finance Initiatives that will end up costing £80 billion for less than £12 billion worth of projects. Thankfully today it’s a different story, Labour has adopted policies to get rid of PFIs and dump the “Integrated Care Providers”. Whichever government is in power, the words of Nye Bevan remain true that the NHS will only last as long as people are prepared to fight for it. THE NHS UNDER THREAT Retired RMT member Oliver New explains how the Tories are destroying our National Health Service