Frances Warboys from Defend Enfield NHS hits out at the government amid an ongoing crisis affecting the health service

Defend Enfield NHS members joined a picket line at Chase Farm Hospital’s ambulance station last month, when Unison members walked out on strike in a dispute over pay — *Defend Enfield NHS members joined a picket line at Chase Farm Hospital’s ambulance station earlier this month when Unison members walked out on strike in a dispute over pay*

Not only did our late Queen honour the NHS with the George Cross shortly before she died, but also our new King spoke movingly in his Christmas address of the invaluable service given by nurses, medics and indeed all public sector workers during the past year.

Despite this level of recognition for those demonstrating the highest standards of public service, NHS staff have now been driven to take strike action by a government which steadfastly refuses them a fair and reasonable wage award, sufficient to tackle the huge rise in inflation, resulting in hospitals being forced to provide foodbanks for their hungry and exhausted workers.

Not only is this poor reward for a job well done but also completely ignores the impact which a properly funded pay award would have on the recruitment of much needed new staff to fill the 132,000-plus existing vacancies in NHS England and also the retention of highly-trained and experienced members of the medical and nursing professions and their non-medical support staff – who are leaving the NHS in droves because of the sheer pressure of work.

All this comes at a time when, as well as the usual winter increase in demand, the nation faces a new influx of Covid-19 from China. The government has not learned the lessons from the earlier coronavirus outbreak, as evidenced by the fact that the promised judicial public inquiry will only start taking witness statements later this spring. It has also not heeded the conclusions of the People’s Covid Inquiry [conducted independently by Keep Our NHS Public in 2021]; one of which was that there had been misconduct in public office.

With strikes either having taken place, being planned or being balloted for among nurses, midwives, paramedics, ambulance staff and junior doctors, our latest prime minister has promised to fix things but has not said how or when. Thank goodness, then, for campaign leaders Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) which, at its conference in November, stated: “As we approach the 75th anniversary of the NHS, we will no longer tolerate the destruction of our health and care system. We affirm that the founding principles of the NHS are as relevant today as they were back in 1948 and that the NHS – rated as the best healthcare system in the world just five years ago – has been failed by politicians who have repeatedly refused to listen as both patients and care workers suffer.

“Given the current crisis, the government should now show support for the NHS through massive long-term investment and heed our coalition’s expert advice. We will enthusiastically endorse strike action by health and care workers in pursuit of pay justice and as a means to defend vital public services for current and future generations.”

KONP’s nine headline demands encompass emergency and long-term funding; looking after NHS and care staff, including pay and conditions, recruitment, retention and social care; providing more beds and infrastructure; supporting general practice; tackling mental health; proper pandemic planning; supporting dentistry; ending privatisation; and remembering and learning from Covid-19.

A government’s first duty is to keep its people safe – the above approach is the way to do it. The wrong approach is seeking to bring in legislation which threatens to sack key workers who ballot to go on strike. After the worst flu season for a decade and with ambulance handover delays at record levels, how will the government’s current approach help?

Defend Enfield NHS (DENHS) has continued its campaigning over the past year, leafleting in Palmers Green, Southgate, Cockfosters, Enfield Town and Winchmore Hill. We have written to Mike Cooke, chair of North Central London Integrated Care Board requesting they pledge to discontinue attempts to privatise the NHS. And locally we have been supporting union picket lines where and whenever possible throughout January.

On 25th February, DENHS members will be at a demonstration being organised by campaign group We Own It. We are now in the 75th year of the NHS. If you, like the King and our late Queen, together with 80% of the population, support the NHS, now is the time to act.

Get involved with Defend Enfield NHS:
Email [email protected]
Facebook /denhs

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