The Labour Party policy making process and health

The Labour Party policy making process and health

As Emma Burnell says “It’s very easy to be cynical about the Labour Party’s policy making process. My God is it easy.” The first point to make is that the Parliamentary Labour Party, and hence a Labour Government, if there is one, is not subject to the direction of the Labour Party. This was established … Read more

Integration

I took my son recently to the Manchester Dental Hospital.  It’s part of Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust where he was born and where the regional genetics centre diagnosed his condition – which affects both his fingers and his teeth The very charming dentist knew nothing about his medical history and didn’t have access to … Read more

‘Whole-Person Care’ A One Nation approach to health and care for the 21st Century

Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said today at the King’s Fund:

Today I open Labour’s health and care policy review.

For the first time in 20 years, our Party has the chance to rethink its health and care policy from first principles. Whatever your political views, it’s a big moment. It presents the chance to change the terms of the health and care debate. That is what One Nation Labour is setting out to do. For too long, it has been trapped on narrow ground, in technical debates about regulation, commissioning, competition. It is struggling to come up with credible answers to the questions that the 21st century is asking with ever greater urgency.

I want to change the debate by opening up new possibilities and posing new questions of my own, starting with people and families and what they want from a 21st century health and care service. For now, they are just that – questions. This is a Green Paper moment – the start of a conversation not the end. But what you will hear today is the first articulation of a coherent and genuine alternative to the current Government’s direction. It is the product both of careful reflection on Labour’s time in government and a response to what has happened since.

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Protect the inheritance!

In February 2013 the Government published the details of its plans to reform the state subsidy for long-term care of the elderly in England. These plans are part of the Care Bill published on 10th May. 1. A cap of £75,000 on the cost of care anyone would be expected to pay. 2. An increase to £123,000 (from … Read more

Accident Waiting to happen

This is NHS Check report no 6 originally published by Labour’s Shadow Health Team in January 2013

Not safe in his hands: A&E under David Cameron

Revealed: Worst winter in the NHS for almost a decade as cuts, under-staffing and reorganisation leave A&E services on the brink

Before the election, David Cameron said the NHS was safe in his hands. However, Accident and Emergency units have seen performance deteriorate significantly this winter. Labour has uncovered new evidence to show to patients are suffering delays at every stage of emergency:

  • More ambulances missing 8 minute arrival target
  • Patients waiting for hours in the back of ambulances
  • More patients waiting more than four hours in A&E
  • Patients waiting hours on trolleys for hospital beds

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Accident and Emergency waiting to happen

Before the election, David Cameron said the NHS was safe in his hands. However, Accident and Emergency units have seen performance deteriorate significantly this winter. Labour has uncovered new evidence to show to patients are suffering delays at every stage of emergency:

  • More ambulances missing 8 minute arrival target
  • Patients waiting for hours in the back of ambulances
  • More patients waiting more than four hours in A&E
  • Patients waiting hours on trolleys for hospital beds
Ambulances outside the Accident and Emergency Dept
Ambulances outside the Accident and Emergency Dept

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Healthwatch the quiet watchdog

There is still a sign outside Gloucester Station pointing towards the former Community Health Council office.  CHCs were abolished by the Labour Government in 2003, though nobody knows why.  They were replaced by Patient Forums, which were strangled at birth and replaced by Local Involvement Networks which in their turn were replaced by Local Healthwatch … Read more

Lessons from Mid-Staffordshire

Notes on an informal Socialist Health Association discussion 8/5/13 This is still work in progress.  We haven’t decided anything, and we would particularly welcome constructive comments on what we might say which would be helpful. We don’t think more regulation will avoid future problems.  In fact we are not very convinced about the Care Quality … Read more

NHS Nursing – under staffed and under pressure

This is NHS Check report no 7 originally published by Labour’s Shadow Health Team in February 2013.

  • New evidence that NHS trusts are meeting the efficiency challenge with crude cuts to front-line staffing
  • NHS  losing 213 nurses a month and on course to lose over 12,000 nurses in this parliament, if current rate of loss continues
  • Projection backed up by reductions in commissioned training places with 4,897 fewer nurses in training since the general election
  • Care of older people hardest hit with four out of ten nurses  lost in acute and community nursing
  • Labour calls on government to reverse the trend and implement francis recommendations on staffing

1)    Nurses are being cut at a worrying rate

  • NHS  trusts are meeting the efficiency challenge by cutting front-line staff[1].
  • The NHS is on course to lose, if current trends continue, over 12,000 nurses by the end of this Parliament
  • The most recent workforce figures for November 2012 show a 4,053 fall in the number of nurses compared to May 2010
  • Historically, September to November sees an uplift of newly-qualified nurses entering the workforce – so, if the seasonal pattern continues, this will be the peak months for the coming year
Projection of NHS nurse losses 2010 - 2015
Projection of NHS nurse losses 2010 – 2015

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NHS Policy Options

This is a discussion paper, part of the process of formulating a policy position for the Association to present to the Labour Party.  It hasn’t been agreed by anyone, as it’s cobbled together from various suggestions by our members but we invite comments.  Principles We start with the repeal of the Health and Social Care … Read more

Broken promises on clinical networks

This is NHS Check report no 5 originally published by Labour’s Shadow Health Team in  December 2012 Revealed: The government has broken its promise to protect funding for cancer networks and heart and stroke networks – vital groups of clinicians and other experts that drive improvements in patient care Cancer networks say their budgets have been cut … Read more

A small victory

You may have seen/heard that in response to an Urgent Question from Andy Burnham today, Norman Lamb confirmed that the Government is intending to re-write the section 75 regulations.  Due to Parliamentary procedures this means that amended regulations are tabled which override the current ones (as opposed to withdrawing these).  However, for all intents and … Read more