NHS in danger

Protest and strike back now

IN SPITE of New Labour's propaganda, the NHS is in danger. In their headlong rush to privatise and cut costs, the government are threatening the very existence of a viable national health service.

There's an urgent need for a united campaign against these cuts and to stop the sell-off of vital services to private companies.

Nick Chaffey explains how the campaign is developing in Hampshire.

WE STARTED our campaign in Winchester over the summer. They announced 260 redundancies and 75 bed cuts but there was already understaffing at the hospital and services in the surrounding areas. Nurses have told us that they are forced to do their own cleaning. There has been a freeze on recruitment and an increase in the use of casual staff even though management accept this is more expensive!

Some redundancies have taken place in grounds and maintenance, with talk of inmates from the prison across the road being used as replacements! And the mood has been heightened, unbelievably, by the failure to pay staff.

The trust were obviously planning to privatise the pay centres in North Baddesley and on the Isle of Wight. It seems an assault on the union was organised, driving out activists and members to be replaced by agency staff.

These staff were undertrained, so weekly paid staff were underpaid and consultants were overpaid - the trust is now in a legal wrangle to get the money back!

This led to a lunch time walkout by over 200 staff. This protest got an instant reaction from the chief executive who was forced to rush out to speak to the staff in the car park.

Now they've announced that privatisation is the way forward, with the closure of the pay centre on the Isle of Wight.

Cuts

The cuts are actually bigger than the deficit in Winchester. This appears to be part of a plan to pay for a new day care centre, which they have stopped building. This was originally due to be five-storey but is now only two.

Our campaign has had some impact, the trust were forced to reply to our leaflets but staff are unconvinced by their replies.

The mood amongst health workers is very positive towards our campaigning work but the lack of a lead from the union nationally is a big problem. Some nurses have raised the idea of striking and support the idea of a regional demo, which we are pushing for. The student nurses are particularly angry as the job freeze means there will be too many nurses for too few jobs. Not that this stops them recruiting nurses from overseas on worse contracts.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.