26th August 2023

There isn’t enough staff!
Barclay’s announcement that the private sector will be used to cut waiting lists received a retort from the BMA. “We do not have enough staff working in the NHS or the private sector,” said the BMA’s Dr Latifa Patel. “…. there is no guarantee that diverting more patients to the independent sector will cut NHS backlogs.”

Recovery Taskforce packed with privateers
Independent Healthcare Provider Network boss David Hare, Dr Paul Manning of US-owned Circle Healthcare, owner of the UK’s largest chain of private hospitals, Darsjak Shah from private eye health firm Newmedica and many others are directing a privatisers dream way to cut waiting lists. And a dream is what it really is!

Millions at risk: Universal Credit falls far short
In a letter to Rishi Sunak 32 health organisations tell him “many people are routinely going without the essentials.… it poses a serious risk to the UK’s health. The BMA: “When people are having to choose between paying for the very basics needed to sustain themselves and families – whether that’s to eat nutritiously; to power, heat, clean and maintain their homes; or for transport to get to work and NHS appointments – their health and wellbeing suffers.”

Palantir was always a certainty for data contract
An email exchange in which senior NHS executives discussed the budget for a new national data platform reveals that Palantir was always expected to be the winner of the contract. The firm’s clients include the US army, which uses its surveilling software to conduct drone strikes.

Concern about Data Protection and Digital Information Bill
The introduction of so-calld “integrated care” relies on a data-driven methodology To identify the high-risk, potentially high-cost individuals who may benefit from interventions that may prevent expensive hospital admissions. All Integrated Care Systems are required to explain why they collect our health data and who they share it with. It is claimed that health data is currently protected by legislation, in practice existing safeguards can be trumped by what is argued to be the broader “public interest”.