This week we were raising awareness of how and why our NHS is changing. We took over the Gather community space in Eastbourne’s Beacon shopping centre for this purpose. Since its birth in 1948 our NHS has constantly been rearranged. Standards have dropped and now many people are falling out of love with the service.
It is vital people understand what has caused this deterioration in standards of care. For there is no reason to fall out of love with the NHS. But every reason to demand our politicians return to those basic principles upon which the NHS was founded.
We wanted to show that a publicly owned healthcare system is vital. And it must have a single source of funding and be provided free at the point of need. This would give us a healthcare system with the most efficient use of available funds. Anything else wastes money. To fund the NHS by taxation and provide services free at the point of need is also necessary. As this shares the financial burden of ill-health across the whole society.
We also explained that for every £1 invested in improving the population’s health there is a £2-4 boost to the economy. Or rather, we can’t afford to not have an NHS.
So why has every Government since 1948 moved away from those basic principles? Especially when the facts are so simple and clear.
Why has our NHS been suffering at the hands of those elected to represent our interests?
Government’s rely on votes to stay in office and voters want to believe their Government is fiscally responsible. Pledging spending cuts is often the way politicians attempt to demonstrate this.
But politicians are always influenced by the large lobbying firms. And those firms are paid a small fortune by the private health corporations to lobby Government. Indeed, we so often see politicians move into lucrative positions with the very corporations they did favours for when in office. We even see them move back into politics when those coporations needs more favours doing. And many of our MPs have personal financial investments in private health.
Our NHS is failing because politicians attacked the basic principles upon which it was formed. It was always unnecessary, and financially wasteful to do so.
Right now it would be hard to fool anyone into believing that the NHS is changing for the better. And a lot of people are suffering because of this. We spoke to many people this week, who were unhappy with NHS care. They were keen to understand why this is happening and what they can do about it.
It is down to us, the general population, to save the NHS
British people won most of the rights we now enjoy through their own actions. Just hoping some well-meaning politician will decide to give us our rights has never worked. We believe the same is true today if we are ever to get back the right to universal healthcare.
Why not watch the video below which we were showing at our event to explain the evolution of our NHS since 1948?
If the people are to secure their right to healthcare they will have a lot of work to do. Many of our politicians are corrupted by their desire to assist the private healthcare industry. Campaigning is hard work but the more of us who are signed up to the cause the easier it would be.
Why now may be the best time to campaign
It will be easier to do now most people are recognising our NHS is no longer offering excellent care. And not difficult to argue that the changes introduced by governments have damaged our healthcare services.
It is also quite easy to show that the principles upon which the NHS was founded would still give us the best healthcare system.
Our only obstacle is the lack of understanding by our population who are routinely lied to by the media. And our politicians who are corrupted by self-interest into supporting private medicine.
What we need to do
We must unite in our shared need for access to universal healthcare services. Illness and injury can affect any one of us without warning. And we all have a vested interest in the overall health of the population. We also must not forget the NHS workers who right now are suffering too. They need far more than just applause.
Our next event when we will be in the Gather will take place on 26 September from 11am to 2pm. At this event we will be looking at what the future holds for our NHS and how we as members of the public can influence that. The Gather space is opposite Holland and Barrett in Eastbourne’s Beacon shopping centre.
Why not download this information pack about various aspects of our NHS? Please email us if you would like to get involved (esussexsavethenhs@outlook.com)
