Another lurch to the right from the Lib Dems. They look set to follow the Tory and Labour policies of taking work out of the NHS and sending it to the private sector paid for by taxes. More shrinkage in the NHS, less money for a service that has suffered greatly and needs support - why would any sane party back this?
This is from the BBC:
Nick Clegg faces a fresh test of his authority as Lib Dems prepare to vote on plans for a more personalised NHS.
The Lib Dem leader is seeking to put a bruising revolt over Europe behind him as he gears up for his party's spring conference in Liverpool.
But his plans for a decentralised NHS - with more private care - are expected to spark a grassroots rebellion.
It comes as the Tories accuse Mr Clegg of stealing their policies. Labour has also proposed a "personalised" NHS.
The Lib Dems' NHS shake-up plans include directly-elected local health boards and greater use of the private sector.
Mr Clegg is also proposing a "patient guarantee" - which will allow people to go private if they can not get the treatment they need from the NHS.
He denied this was the same as the former Conservative policy of a "patient passport".
'Vulnerable people'
The Tory policy was a "passport out of the NHS," he told BBC News, but the Lib Dem proposals only came in when the NHS had failed to provide.
He told a rally in a room at the new Liverpool arena, as the conference opened on Friday evening, that the proposals were about putting patients first.
"When the health service fails to meet the standards to which vulnerable people are entitled, they should be allowed to look elsewhere for the treatment they need," he told a packed room.
But some activists are concerned about proposals to give local authorities the power to take over the provision of health care and the greater involvement of the private sector.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Kick out United Health Europe
An emergency motion to Green Party Spring Conference in Reading has voiced strong opposition to the inroads of health privateers such as United Health Europe into UK public healthcare:
EMERGENCY MOTION PASSED AT CONFERENCE 14/2/08
The Green Party is extremely concerned to learn that a private American health firm (United Health Europe) has won control of three GP surgeries in London. We fear that this is the first step in an attempt to corporatise health care in the UK.
We believe that this is being done without any proper consultation with the citizens of the UK, who as stakeholders are the true owners of the NHS. We also fear that this paves the way to monopolistic malpractice and profiteering if it allows retail and pharmacuetical conglomerates such as Boots and Tesco to have any control over the salaries, judgements and activities of GP's and other primary health care providers.
We pledge our full support to opposition to this disgraceful step and any others like it by Gp's patients and pensioner groups and trades unions in the health sector.
We call on the Green party spokespersons nationally, locally and regionally to promptly issue public statements condemning this corportatisation and call upon the Green Party press office to give such statements maximum promotion.
EMERGENCY MOTION PASSED AT CONFERENCE 14/2/08
The Green Party is extremely concerned to learn that a private American health firm (United Health Europe) has won control of three GP surgeries in London. We fear that this is the first step in an attempt to corporatise health care in the UK.
We believe that this is being done without any proper consultation with the citizens of the UK, who as stakeholders are the true owners of the NHS. We also fear that this paves the way to monopolistic malpractice and profiteering if it allows retail and pharmacuetical conglomerates such as Boots and Tesco to have any control over the salaries, judgements and activities of GP's and other primary health care providers.
We pledge our full support to opposition to this disgraceful step and any others like it by Gp's patients and pensioner groups and trades unions in the health sector.
We call on the Green party spokespersons nationally, locally and regionally to promptly issue public statements condemning this corportatisation and call upon the Green Party press office to give such statements maximum promotion.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Virgin Births and Private Polys
Green Party health spokesperson Stuart Jeffery will launch the Green Party response to the NHS reports by Lord Darzi this Friday (15th February) at Green Party Spring Conference in Reading, warning that the increased provision for private companies in the NHS will spell only fragmentation and centralisation for the health service.
The two reports by Darzi over the last 6 months sets out the agenda for future of health care in London and the rest of England. The reports attempt to address accountability, access, public health and safety in the NHS. They key recommendations set out by Lord Darzi promotes the increased capacity of private providers in the NHS and calls for a creation of polyclinics to replace local GP clinics.
Entitled 'Virgin Births and Private Polys', the Green Party response will criticise the report on several keys aspects:
1) The support of private providers, creating an 'inflexible, unaccountable and expensive' NHS.
2) Strengthening the 'marketisation' of healthcare through the 'choice' agenda.
3) Encouraging fragmentation of healthcare through private providers.
4) Centralising GP surgeries into polyclinics and the centralisation of hospital services
5) Backing the corporate health care providers to take over GP surgeries, end of life care, secondary care and other services.
6) Failing to understand the wider connection between society and health, promoting a medicalised approach to health promotion rather than addressing the real issues.
Commenting on the Darzi report, Green health spokesperson and author of 'Virgin Births and Private Polys' Stuart Jeffery, said
"Darzi's reports are more of the same privatisation, privatisation, privatisation agenda from New Labour. It is fragmenting health care and costing taxpayers millions, and must stop. Darzi's reports are lackluster, and fail to understand many key issues affecting the people's health and also what people want from their NHS.
"Darzi thinks he can fix health problems by some old style health promotion, whereas Greens are aware that society, poverty and the environment are the major determinants of health. Darzi thinks that people want distant specialist hospitals to choose from whereas we know that people want, and need, good local services that they can trust.
"The proposal to introduce polyclinics to replace GP surgeries is appalling. Polyclinics should be introduced as an additional layer of care, rather than as a centralisation of services. Darzi also mercilessly promotes private providers, who have been shown to fragment care, be expensive, and remain unaccountable.
"Richard Branson has now entered the health care market, with the opportunity to run public services such as GP surgeries and maternity units. It is only a matter of time before we end up with expensive Virgin Births."
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Launch of 'Virgin Births and Private Polys' will be on Friday 15th February, at 18.00 at Green Party Reading Town Hall.
The two reports by Darzi over the last 6 months sets out the agenda for future of health care in London and the rest of England. The reports attempt to address accountability, access, public health and safety in the NHS. They key recommendations set out by Lord Darzi promotes the increased capacity of private providers in the NHS and calls for a creation of polyclinics to replace local GP clinics.
Entitled 'Virgin Births and Private Polys', the Green Party response will criticise the report on several keys aspects:
1) The support of private providers, creating an 'inflexible, unaccountable and expensive' NHS.
2) Strengthening the 'marketisation' of healthcare through the 'choice' agenda.
3) Encouraging fragmentation of healthcare through private providers.
4) Centralising GP surgeries into polyclinics and the centralisation of hospital services
5) Backing the corporate health care providers to take over GP surgeries, end of life care, secondary care and other services.
6) Failing to understand the wider connection between society and health, promoting a medicalised approach to health promotion rather than addressing the real issues.
Commenting on the Darzi report, Green health spokesperson and author of 'Virgin Births and Private Polys' Stuart Jeffery, said
"Darzi's reports are more of the same privatisation, privatisation, privatisation agenda from New Labour. It is fragmenting health care and costing taxpayers millions, and must stop. Darzi's reports are lackluster, and fail to understand many key issues affecting the people's health and also what people want from their NHS.
"Darzi thinks he can fix health problems by some old style health promotion, whereas Greens are aware that society, poverty and the environment are the major determinants of health. Darzi thinks that people want distant specialist hospitals to choose from whereas we know that people want, and need, good local services that they can trust.
"The proposal to introduce polyclinics to replace GP surgeries is appalling. Polyclinics should be introduced as an additional layer of care, rather than as a centralisation of services. Darzi also mercilessly promotes private providers, who have been shown to fragment care, be expensive, and remain unaccountable.
"Richard Branson has now entered the health care market, with the opportunity to run public services such as GP surgeries and maternity units. It is only a matter of time before we end up with expensive Virgin Births."
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Launch of 'Virgin Births and Private Polys' will be on Friday 15th February, at 18.00 at Green Party Reading Town Hall.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Fluoride, poison in our water
COMPULSIVE WATER FLUORIDATION IS DANGEROUS AND IMMORAL, SAYS GREEN PARTY HEALTH SPOKESPERSON
Green Party health spokesperson Stuart Jeffery today slated controversial Government plans to fluoridate national water supplies, claiming that medicating people without permission breaches European Human Rights conventions.
With Health Secretary Alan Johnson's recommendation that fluoride should be routinely added to UK water supplies, Green Party health spokesperson Mr. Jeffery said
"Besides the reality of negative health effects, this is an issue of medical ethics. Fluoridating water is essentially medicating people without their permission, and the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine distinctly states that individuals have the right not to be medicated without their consent.
"Poor dental health is a complex public health issue. The root causes are poor diet and inadequate dental hygiene. Typically the government seems more concerned with dangerous knee-jerk action and to be seen 'doing something', rather than confronting the real causes of the problem.
"While we continue to feed refined sugar to our children in schools, efforts to reduce tooth decay will be in vain."
Mr. Jeffery continued
"The health case for fluoride has been far from made. Claims about the effectiveness of fluoride simply do not stand up to close scrutiny. While topical fluoride on teeth does help prevent tooth decay, there is simply no good evidence that systemic fluoride does.
"Fluoride is a known poison if ingested over a long period of time, even in small daily doses. Its consumption has been linked to a range of medical afflictions including severe skeletal problems, fluorosis (discoloration of the teeth), osteosarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in boys, and problems affecting the central nervous system.
"Most European countries have managed to reduce levels of tooth decay in recent years, in almost all cases without fluoridation.
"The Green Party wants to see a programme of education for children and adults regarding proper dental hygiene and a healthy diet, a health warning on all sources of fluoride intended for human
consumption, and a ban on the fluoridation of drinking water."
Green Party health spokesperson Stuart Jeffery today slated controversial Government plans to fluoridate national water supplies, claiming that medicating people without permission breaches European Human Rights conventions.
With Health Secretary Alan Johnson's recommendation that fluoride should be routinely added to UK water supplies, Green Party health spokesperson Mr. Jeffery said
"Besides the reality of negative health effects, this is an issue of medical ethics. Fluoridating water is essentially medicating people without their permission, and the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine distinctly states that individuals have the right not to be medicated without their consent.
"Poor dental health is a complex public health issue. The root causes are poor diet and inadequate dental hygiene. Typically the government seems more concerned with dangerous knee-jerk action and to be seen 'doing something', rather than confronting the real causes of the problem.
"While we continue to feed refined sugar to our children in schools, efforts to reduce tooth decay will be in vain."
Mr. Jeffery continued
"The health case for fluoride has been far from made. Claims about the effectiveness of fluoride simply do not stand up to close scrutiny. While topical fluoride on teeth does help prevent tooth decay, there is simply no good evidence that systemic fluoride does.
"Fluoride is a known poison if ingested over a long period of time, even in small daily doses. Its consumption has been linked to a range of medical afflictions including severe skeletal problems, fluorosis (discoloration of the teeth), osteosarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in boys, and problems affecting the central nervous system.
"Most European countries have managed to reduce levels of tooth decay in recent years, in almost all cases without fluoridation.
"The Green Party wants to see a programme of education for children and adults regarding proper dental hygiene and a healthy diet, a health warning on all sources of fluoride intended for human
consumption, and a ban on the fluoridation of drinking water."
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Social care - or lack of it.
GREEN PARTY RESPONSE TO ANNUAL 'STATE OF THE NATION' REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL CARE INSPECTION
Green Party Health Spokesperson Stuart Jeffery today responded to the annual 'State of the Nation' report from the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
The report has, for the first time, explored the experiences of people not deemed eligible for state-supported social care - either because their need is not considered critical enough or because they are found to have sufficient funds of their own to provide to pay for their own
care.
Mr Jeffery said:
"Today's report is a damming inditement of the state of social care in England.
"Recent local area settlements and last year's comprehensive spending review have combined to force local authorities to cutback on vital services, and some of the most vulnerable people in our society are feeling the effects.
"The number of people receiving support from their local council has fallen in recent years. Seven out of ten councils now restrict their services to those people whose needs are defined as 'substantial' or 'critical'.
"Government care minister Ivan Lewis has responded - announcing a fundamental review of eligibility criteria, but an enormous amount of the problems that people are experiencing on the front line are just to do with a dearth of funds."
Pointing to the green paper due for release later this year, Mr. Jeffery concluded
"The Government has a tremendous opportunity to re-frame the whole social care system, ransforming it into one that reflects our aging society's hanging needs.
"This is an open and shut case - budget cuts at a national level mean some of the most vulnerable in our society are not receiving the support they desperately need at a local level.
"The Green Party want to see all social care provided free at the point of need. If there is dispute between the person requiring care and the local authority there should be an independent assessment and appeals process. This is the best way to ensure equity and the best way for us to care for the vulnerable members of our society.
"We desperately need to see this and future governments commit to spending a higher proportion of public money on social care - as a matter of urgency."
Green Party Health Spokesperson Stuart Jeffery today responded to the annual 'State of the Nation' report from the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
The report has, for the first time, explored the experiences of people not deemed eligible for state-supported social care - either because their need is not considered critical enough or because they are found to have sufficient funds of their own to provide to pay for their own
care.
Mr Jeffery said:
"Today's report is a damming inditement of the state of social care in England.
"Recent local area settlements and last year's comprehensive spending review have combined to force local authorities to cutback on vital services, and some of the most vulnerable people in our society are feeling the effects.
"The number of people receiving support from their local council has fallen in recent years. Seven out of ten councils now restrict their services to those people whose needs are defined as 'substantial' or 'critical'.
"Government care minister Ivan Lewis has responded - announcing a fundamental review of eligibility criteria, but an enormous amount of the problems that people are experiencing on the front line are just to do with a dearth of funds."
Pointing to the green paper due for release later this year, Mr. Jeffery concluded
"The Government has a tremendous opportunity to re-frame the whole social care system, ransforming it into one that reflects our aging society's hanging needs.
"This is an open and shut case - budget cuts at a national level mean some of the most vulnerable in our society are not receiving the support they desperately need at a local level.
"The Green Party want to see all social care provided free at the point of need. If there is dispute between the person requiring care and the local authority there should be an independent assessment and appeals process. This is the best way to ensure equity and the best way for us to care for the vulnerable members of our society.
"We desperately need to see this and future governments commit to spending a higher proportion of public money on social care - as a matter of urgency."
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Health Service - Lib Dem Style
I sent this to the Guardian a couple of days ago after the announcement of the LibDem health service plans:
Dear Editor,
It seems that Nick Clegg's 'policy on the hoof' approach to NHS would simply undermine an already fragile system. The Lib Dems clearly havenot thought through their ideas and considered the impacts.
For example, directly elected health boards are a waste of time and money - there is already a system of local government that the NHS should be accountable to, why does he feel the need to reinvent the wheel?
As for individual budgets, these are an appalling neo-liberal concept that will simply increase inequalities. The whole point of the NHS is that it is based on need, not want; next he will be advocating top up payments! And how will £2 billion cover the care budget for the elderly,
he obviously hasn't done his sums. Personal care should be free, Scotland have managed to do it, but England couldn't do it with just £2bn.
The LibDems have really shown that they do not understand health care with these announcements. What is needed is an end to private sector provision and an end to the healthcare market economy, this will really free up cash to be invested in high quality services for patients. Astonishingly, The Green Party remains the only major party to say NO the privatisation of the NHS.
Stuart Jeffery
Health Spokesperson for the Green Party
Dear Editor,
It seems that Nick Clegg's 'policy on the hoof' approach to NHS would simply undermine an already fragile system. The Lib Dems clearly havenot thought through their ideas and considered the impacts.
For example, directly elected health boards are a waste of time and money - there is already a system of local government that the NHS should be accountable to, why does he feel the need to reinvent the wheel?
As for individual budgets, these are an appalling neo-liberal concept that will simply increase inequalities. The whole point of the NHS is that it is based on need, not want; next he will be advocating top up payments! And how will £2 billion cover the care budget for the elderly,
he obviously hasn't done his sums. Personal care should be free, Scotland have managed to do it, but England couldn't do it with just £2bn.
The LibDems have really shown that they do not understand health care with these announcements. What is needed is an end to private sector provision and an end to the healthcare market economy, this will really free up cash to be invested in high quality services for patients. Astonishingly, The Green Party remains the only major party to say NO the privatisation of the NHS.
Stuart Jeffery
Health Spokesperson for the Green Party
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Lib Dem health policy takes a lurch to the right.
Firstly, accountability for health care services to local people is Green Party policy too, but we say accountable to local government, not a separately elected board. Loads of cross over benefit with public health measures would be possible having both under one roof.
Secondly, if patient's needs are not being met then the NHS needs to meet them, not give the money to corporate fat cats.
Thirdly, if local people can increase their contribution to health care spending, surely that will increase inequalities with poorer areas losing out.
Stuart
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has launched an attack on the way the NHS is run, describing it as a service in "crisis".
He told the BBC he would hand control of the NHS to local people
The Lib Dems would introduce locally elected health boards, Mr Clegg told the Andrew Marr show, and if patients' needs were not met they would be able to have private treatment paid for by the NHS.
The party would also scrap centralised targets and give people the power to raise cash for health services through a local income tax.
"If you are going to give local communities more say over health services, they should also be able to vary, maybe raise extra money," said the Lib Dem leader.
Secondly, if patient's needs are not being met then the NHS needs to meet them, not give the money to corporate fat cats.
Thirdly, if local people can increase their contribution to health care spending, surely that will increase inequalities with poorer areas losing out.
Stuart
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has launched an attack on the way the NHS is run, describing it as a service in "crisis".
He told the BBC he would hand control of the NHS to local people
The Lib Dems would introduce locally elected health boards, Mr Clegg told the Andrew Marr show, and if patients' needs were not met they would be able to have private treatment paid for by the NHS.
The party would also scrap centralised targets and give people the power to raise cash for health services through a local income tax.
"If you are going to give local communities more say over health services, they should also be able to vary, maybe raise extra money," said the Lib Dem leader.
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