NHSCA AGM 2008
The AGM was held at the Medical Intstitution, Liverpool on Saturday October 4th 2008
Dr Roger Franks on behalf of the Medical Institution welcomed members to Liverpool. He described the foundation of the Liverpool Medical Library (a forerunner of the Institution) in 1779 by John Rutter. The Institution was founded on its present site in 1837 at a cost of £4000; the Library transferred to the Institution in 1840. It remains an active society in the furtherance of medical education in Liverpool to this day.
Items discussed included:
1. Possible links with a Spanish campaign group. The FADSP has similar aims to those of the NHSCA but covers all health staff. They had asked NHSCA to join them in setting up an “observatory” of privatisation of health care across Europe. The EC had considered this but felt unable at this stage to take on the commitment. It was decided to feature the request in the Newsletter inviting any interested member to become involved.
2. A policy commitment to the abolition of prescription charges.
3. Possible extension of membership to GPs or to non-consultant grades
4. The apparent apathy in the profession towards the Darzi report. It was noted that of the 32,000 doctors eligible to attend the London Regional Forum only a tiny proportion attended. Many of the others were unaware of the issues which confronted them and considered NHSCA and KONP to be ”shroud wavers.”
5. Political activity during the year including meeetings with Andrew Lansley (Shadow Health Secretary) and Norman Lamb (Lib Dem health spokesman). Alan Johnson, Health Secretary had declined a meeting but one had been arranged with junior health minister Lord Darzi for 20th October. Problems to be discussed include the fragmentation of Chronic Care, Democratic Accountability and the background of some of the US organisations bidding to run Independent Sector Clinics.
6. The NHS in Scotland. Scotland is taking an increasingly independent path in health care and refusing many of the commercial changes being introduced in England. • The new South Glasgow hospital (cost £842Million) is being financed entirely by public capital funding. A Scottish Futures Trust (based on a bond system) is proposed to replace PFI funding – full details to be confirmed. This is to be led by a merchant banker. • The one ISTC (independent sector treatment centre) in Scotland is roughly half way through its three year contract and this is unlikely to be renewed. It is apparently running at only70-80% occupancy though it is difficult to obtain accurate information. • A bill to allow democratic elections to Health Boards is beginning its parliamentary process. • A consultation document has been produced by the Scottish Government “Change to the Eligibility Criteria for the Providers of Primary Care Services” with a view to preventing private contractors applying for GMS contracts. It is currently out for comment. • Prescription charges are being phased out in line with the same process in Wales – abolished in 2011.
7. The “Keep our NHS Public” campaign ( It was reported that funds had been difficult to obtain though affiliation fees have been obtained from some local groups and health service unions. A campaign manager has been appointed.
A workshop was to be held in Leicester in November.
8. The NHS Support Federation (the Fed)
It was reported that the Fed was working to remind the Government of their pledge which brought Labour to power in 1997: “Our fundamental purpose is simple but hugely important: to restore the NHS as a public service working co-operatively for patients, not a commercial business driven by competition” An NHS for the Future (Labour Party Election Manifesto 1997). Government commitment was called for in a Fed pamphlet NHS@60 which had been produced with union support and widely distributed.
The Fed was seeking possible challenges to the outsourcing of NHS work to the private sector. Countrywide enquiry had brought 5 questionable areas to light where public consultation and/or tendering had been defective The Fed was working with solicitors, Messrs Leigh, Day & Co and were seeking appropriate eligible local residents to mount the challenge. It is hoping to help NHSCA, BMA, RCN, Unison and others to initiate a major public meeting next year on ‘The NHS in England; Alternatives to the Market’
With some Union support the Fed was producing a series of Key Issue Briefings, distributed to opinion formers and a Parliamentary group of MPs headed by Frank Dobson. The Fed had formed an independent not-for-profit Charitable Company, ‘Health Concern’ which was establishing countrywide connections with the new LINks and offering to provide them with NHS Educational Seminars for members of the public aiming to enter NHS bodies as public representatives. It is hoped in due course to be able to call on NHSCA expertise to contribute seminar ‘faculty’ for such topics as the History of the NHS; PFI; social conditions and health, as well as salient clinical topics.