21st October 2024

BMA vote to phase out PAs
Very often patients in GP surgeries, are seen by who they think is a doctor but is in fact a physician assistant. PAs have been introduced owing to a shortage of GPs. But a recent tragic misdiagnosis has contributed to concern and now the BMA has voted to phase out PAs. But will surgeries that employ them respond?

SOS NHS: Why privatisation isn’t the answer
Join a meeting in person or online here to consider the pros and cons of NHS privatisation. All we have to do is look across the pond to see the dangers of privatised healthcare; medical bankruptcy, patients denied essential care for lack of insurance.

Private provider takes over community care
HCRG Care Group (formerly known as Virgin Care) will be the “lead” provider (which implies sub-contracting) for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. The trust decided in 2022 not to extend the contract to Virgin Care following its acquisition by private equity firm Twenty20Capital, but then reversed the decision.

Say “No” to using NHS budget to private healthcare
If you are concerned by the news that Streeting is considering plans that would guarantee private health companies public money and contracts for the long term, in exchange for promises that they’ll invest £1 billion into building up their own facilities, then send him an email here.

Labour must learn from the past
…when they last took over from the Tories. Then, hundreds of billions of additional spending was invested in the NHS, to recover from austerity, and bring health spending on a par with comparable countries in Europe.