No, the NHS is not broken
The government is keen — alarmingly keen — to say that the NHS is “broken”. You might almost think that ministers would like it to be…
NHS
NHS
NHS pay settlement imposed
The government has imposed a pay settlement on the majority of NHS workers in England. There is no option to accept or reject. This inevitably raises the stakes for future pay claims.
Doctors' pay fights go on
Some groups of doctors have settled pay claims for now. But others are fighting for rises.
Why are public services getting worse?
Public services are in a sorry state, and the new government has other priorities, like devolution and backing wars. Our focus must be on what change is needed in our public services – and how we can make it come about…
Consultants accept new offer
Hospital consultants in England have voted to accept a pay offer. The offer will see most consultants receive increases of between 2.9 and 12.8 per cent on top of 6 per cent already offered in November 2023.
Longer waits for GPs – we need more doctors
10 March 2024
It is harder than ever to get an appointment with a GP within a reasonable time. One reason is that we are short of doctors, but the government is doing nothing effective about that.
Waiting on the NHS
Health workers and the rest of our class know that radical changes are needed to ensure the future of the NHS. Where is the necessary leadership coming from?
Decay in dentistry
The queues of would-be patients waiting to register with a Bristol dental practice that offered NHS treatment that hit the headlines in early February were a shocking reminder of the state of dentistry.
Measles epidemic follows cuts in health visitors
8 February 2024
Measles was eradicated from Britain in 2017, but it has come back. That’s due to a cut in health visitors, which needs to be reversed.
Wales waiting times exposed [print version]
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has forced the Welsh Government to admit that it has been misrepresenting the extent of waiting times in Accident & Emergency departments for years.
Doctors continue pay strike
20 September 2023
Junior doctors struck from 20 to 22 September, with more strikes planned for 2 to 4 October, and a national rally outside the Conservative party conference in Manchester on 3 October. Hospital consultants will also strike on 20 September and on the October dates.
NHS safety – collective organisation the only guarantee
8 September 2023
Safety in the NHS is ensured by the collective organisation of professional skilled workers, the scandal of Lucy Letby's murders at the Countess of Cheshire hospital shows.
Recruitment without retention won’t save the NHS
More places need to be created to train medical staff for the NHS, but the latest plan to address the shortages in the NHS workforce ignores one crucial question: how to retain staff in the face of low pay and poor conditions…
Planning for the wider healthcare team
Modern healthcare is entirely reliant on teamwork
How the NHS was won
Launched in 1948, the NHS wasn’t given to us by benign politicians. It was won by workers fighting over centuries for a health service for all. …
Our health service, our responsibility
Our health service, our responsibility
Tuesday 26 September 2023 19:30
Tuesday 26 September 2023, 7.30pm
Bertrand Russell Room, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
NHS workers from all professions have shown discipline, tactical ingenuity and unity in their fight for pay and for the future of the service. The whole class, too, must play its part.
Come and join the discussion.
All welcome. Free Entry.
Doctors in dispute [print version]
Junior hospital doctors in England were on strike for 72 hours from 14 to 17 June – their third strike since March in support of their pay campaign.
Doctors in dispute
14 June 2023
Junior doctors in England are on strike again in June in support of their pay campaign, but talks have been unproductive so far. Consultants also take action next month.
Waiting on the NHS across Britain
14 June 2023
In NHS England and across Britain, hospital waiting lists are increasing, with little sign of progress.
Unison calls time on pay body
A historic decision was taken at the Unison Health Care Service Group Conference in Bournemouth on 18 April when members unanimously backed a motion to “call time” on the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) system.
NHS pay victory
16 March 2023
NHS workers have achieved a signal victory in their pay campaign. The improved offerwill be put to members by their unions with a recommendation to accept.
Health unions make progress
9 March 2023
Health service workers are making progress in their pay dispute now that the government is talking to all unions directly about NHS England pay.
NHS pay settlements in Wales and Scotland likely
9 March 2023
NHS workers in Wales and Scotland are close to settling their respective pay claims. The settlements are below the level of inflation, but higher than the original offers.
Understanding 'excess deaths' - and their cause
The increasing number of deaths in Britain is a concern. We need to ask why – and recognise that there is no evidence that Covid vaccines are to blame. Quite the contrary…
Nurses escalate action [print version]
From 1 to 3 March Royal College of Nursing members at every employer in England with a strike mandate will be taking action including on night shifts.
Doctors to strike over pay
22 February 2023
Junior doctors have voted overwhelmingly to strike in support of their campaign for full pay restoration. They join many other NHS workers fighting for better pay.
Nurses plan to escalate action
22 February 2023
Nurses in England were called on by the RCN to take national strike action for the first time. This is paused for last minute talks with the government.
Nurses blow away the government fig leaf
17 December 2022
Nurses held a national pay strike on 15 December, the first ever in the history of the Royal College of Nursing, with another to follow on the 20th. So far the government is avoiding meaningful negotiations.
Nurses to strike – a big step
8 December 2022
Nurses are about to take strike action for better pay. This is a significant step and the first time the Royal College of Nursing has called a national strike.
Unequal access to GPs: a radical solution needed
15 June 2022
Access to primary health care services is a concern across Britain. Those who work in NHS must take charge of this emergency to rectify the situation.