Nursing shortages: move on from the blame game
14 September 2021
The shortage of nurses is worldwide. There’s no future in leaving it to the SNP or the British governmemt to resolve.
Health
Health
Would-be doctors face squeeze while NHS continues to hire from abroad
Medical schools saw an astonishing 21 per cent surge in applications to train to be a doctor for entry in 2021. But most applicants will be turned away – while Britain continues to import doctors trained abroad.
Diet and obesity – an issue for the working class
Obesity in Britain is increasing, especially in children. This is a relatively recent development, but the trend is clear and persistent…
Protocol denies life-saving drug to Northern Ireland
16 May 2021
A hard border for medicines between Northern Ireland and Britain imposed by the EU is denies people in the province early access to a new life-saving cancer drug.
Nurses need action, not outrage from the sidelines
8 March 2021
The government’s proposed 1 per cent pay rise for nurses and other NHS staff – a reduction in real terms – has naturally provoked outrage among workers. But it should provoke some soul-searching too.
Applications flood in for medical schools
Applications to UK medical schools have increased by over 20 per cent, according to figures published by the Medical Schools Council.
Workers’ health in South Wales [print version]
With another set of reforms to the NHS in prospect, it’s worth looking at what workers did for themselves in the past…
Health: Breast screening returns [print version]
Breast screening has restarted. But almost a million women have missed mammograms due to the pandemic.
Workers’ health and safety in South Wales
23 February 2021
Before the Second World War there was no comprehensive healthcare system, and workplace safety was ineffective. Miners in South Wales showed the way to improve both.
The return of breast screening units
20 February 2021
Most breast screening programmes in Britain were paused in March 2020 because of Covid-19. Screening has since restarted, but there’s much to be done as almost a million women have missed mammograms.
Government to ditch disastrous NHS ‘reforms’
11 February 2021
The government is to reverse the central thrust of the 2012 NHS reforms. Central planning is back on the agenda, finally.
Covid-19: Russian lessons for British schools
7 February 2021
Russia’s main opposition party is campaigning for the “natural right” of children to go to school in the face of widespread closures.
Call to double medical school places
10 January 2021
The Royal College of Physicians has set out plans to double the number of medical school places, planning for Britain’s needs for the next ten years and beyond.
Devolving health: it doesn’t make sense
For Britain to persist with devolved health services is a nonsense – economies of scale are being lost and during the current health crisis efforts are being dissipated. A look at Scotland indicates the scale of the problem…
NHS - Getting ready
The NHS is preparing for winter and a predicted second wave of Covid-19 infections. The service must also look at how it has dealt with patients referred for investigations and treatment for other conditions.
NHS recruitment: self-sufficiency is the answer
10 October 2020
It is unethical for health services to rely on imported workers, as they have done for too long. Workers can take responsibility by challenging international recruitment.
NHS prepares
11 September 2020
As well as preparing for winter and a second wave of Covid-19, the NHS must look at how it has dealt with other conditions and plans for the future.
Dexamethasone saves lives in Covid-19 patients
9 July 2020
Britain leads research to combat novel coronavirus Covid-19 across many areas. One strand has already produced great results that will save lives.
We need a discussion, not a postmortem
Covid-19 has revealed the evil effects of the criminal fragmentation of Britain’s health and social care. The so-called internal market has failed. Workers must ensure that we never again face such a calamity…
Student nurses - call to scrap tuition fees
Unions representing nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals are calling on the government to improve support during their training.
Brussels bids to take charge of health services
The European Commission is making a concerted power grab to give itself the right to intervene in member states’ health systems.
Yes, it’s a crisis. And time to ask hard questions
Workers in the NHS, and all of us who use it should insist that never again can it be allowed to face such an epidemic with such limited resources…
A questioning generation
The British working class has a good history of “doing the 24-hour job” and asking the questions at the same time – during the Second World War, for example.
Union reps take responsibility to keep ambulances running
Media descriptions of “health heroes” often stops at doctors and nurses. At the front of the front line, though, are the ambulance services.
Unison reps take responsibility to keep ambulance services running
14 April 2020
London’s ambulance service has been under heavy strain. But it has not buckled. Key to its resilience has been the acceptance of responsibility by the main trade union, Unison.
Over-60s: Malnutrition on the rise
The number of over-60s diagnosed with malnutrition has more than trebled in the past decade, says NHS Digital
NHS training body still looking outside Britain
30 May 2019
The body responsible for educating and training the NHS workforce in England is still fixated on importing labour from abroad.
Reunite the NHS
18 March 2019
There are positive signs that fragmentation of the NHS in England is coming to an end. Professional bodies, unions and others are unanimous that the 2012 Health and Social Care Act should go.
'Austerity' alive and well as government dodges responsibility
11 February 2019
Millions around the country are experiencing every day the consequences of a political system that has washed its hand of the people and handed control over to the European Union, the market, or both.