I have been a member of the SHA and LP for more than 40 years. In the 1970/80s I was branch secretary to the East London branch. I have been a member of Central Council for most of this period of time and have been Treasurer and also founding Trustee of the Stark Murray Trust.
I wish to be elected onto the CC as I feel there is still an important contribution the SHA Council can make to analyse the contemporary health challenges in the UK and globally, identify how health inequalities can be eradicated and monitor the state of the NHS across the UK and protect it. The SHA, despite remaining a disappointingly small organisation, has a distinctive role to play in applying a socialist critique and generating practical socialist policy options for the Labour Party.
My professional career started as a clinical medical student in East London and then a GP principal for 10 years. During this time we formed a group practice and designed and built a teaching, research and service based health centre in Chrisp Street E14. This remains a thriving centre today. I then trained in public health in East Anglia becoming a Director of Public Health in Peterborough, Cambridge and then Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA. I was President of the UK Association of Directors of Public Health for 4 years. My final job was as Chief Medical Officer in Wales which I did for 6 years up to my retirement in 2012.During this time the Welsh Government abolished the internal market, created Public Health Wales and adopted the Our Healthy Future strategy designed to improve health and reduce inequalities in Wales.
During my career as GP, Public Health Director and CMO I have tried to focus on policies and actions to improve health overall and reduce inequalities. I remain convinced that many anti health forces such as Tobacco, Alcohol and the Junk food and drink industry need to be regulated better to protect the population, particularly children and young people. For the NHS there needs to be a greater investment in prevention (raise it above its 5% level) and public health/primary care capacity. National, Local Government and the NHS need to work effectively together to address the determinants of health and well being, reduce inequalities and make high quality services locally accessible. The SHA also needs to develop a socialist health approach to climate change and its global health impact.
I am Treasurer of Womanschoice Charity (originated from Wendy Savage Support Campaign), member of KNOP and Chair of the Wales for Africa Health Links Network. I am a Fellow of the RCGP and Faculty of Public Health, member of the Royal Society of Medicine and the BMA.
I think the next two years are critical to influence emergent Labour Party policy and shaping Labour Party policy for the 2020 UK election. To do this the SHA needs to use the energy of its members and their networks to critique policies and make cogent policy proposals which will deliver socialist policies to address inequalities and build a fairer society and an NHS to be proud of. What we shouldn’t be drawn into is internal arguments that can smother debate and demonise colleagues. If elected to Central Council I will work towards supporting the SHAs contribution to policy and its links to the Labour Party and Trade Unions
Posts by Dr Tony Jewell