Take action to stop our NHS being disintegrated this year

5 January 2021

How to oppose further NHS privatisation before the deadline of midnight January 8th!

1) Go to the NHS 'Integrated Care Systems' survey, (by scrolling to the bottom of the page) making sure to say you're a 'member of the public' or 'patient' (they're the same thing to us!) and that you're responding as an individual, NOT on behalf of an organisation. 

2) Answer questions 4, 5, 6 and 7 using the template questions responses from Keep Our NHS Public here! We think it's really crucial that thousands of people respond to this, saying why you think a reeorganisation into 'Integrated Care Systems' will downsize and reduce the capacity of our NHS. Then you're done - thank you so much.

Want more information, or to personalise your response?

Here are some key reasons why 'Integrated Care Systems' are bad news for OUR NHS in England (and for all the UK long-term)

In 2021, Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson have promised to bring in legislation that will hand over the current organisation of NHS regions to something called 'Integrated Care Systems'. These plans will lead to more of our health services being handed over to private companies. But how?

  • These new bodies will commission health services for an area, but they could have private companies sitting on their boards.  The bodies have been criticised for encouraging under treatment or rationing of services, as members of the board (which could include private companies) will get to keep any money they don't spend, and they will bring an area under tight financial controlsAll of this sounds familiar right? More private involvement, more contracts to private companies and less funding for the NHS to look after people so that they need other, private options.
  • After a particularly bad year of private companies with no experience getting huge contracts and failing us completely (but serving their shareholders well), the move to ICS's will even remove public contract regulations so organisations aren't judged on their previous track records, or have to follow labour standards. 
  • While key experts say there will be a reduction of 'accountability and democratic oversight' over our NHS, what's even more concrete and worrying for some is that there is discussion of 'sharing' the 'rewards' with private companies. This means money that could be spent on health services will be leaked as profits to private companies.  There is also the likelihood that much bigger, long-term contracts covering entire areas could be given to multi-national companies, as opposed to the multiple smaller and shorter term contracts given currently.

Want to read more about this?

Keep Our NHS Public have been keeping on top of these developments for years. Here are some great articles you can read.

Dangerous NHS restructuring to go ahead despite Covid

Keep Our NHS Public's analysis of what lies behind the "Integrating Care" proposals

NHS England pushes for “integration” … but not as we know it

We can't let them get away with us. Please spend 5 minutes responding to their survey on ICS now, using Keep Our NHS Public's model response.

Do you believe in public services for people not profit?

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Comments

Clive Amos replied on Permalink

The NHS must be kept free at the point of need for everyone and provided on a not-for-profit basis.

Malcolm Barnes replied on Permalink

Private companies need to make a profit when they don't they give up the contract and pass it back to the NHS to sort it out as they have created a void and causes huge problems .

Allan leslie replied on Permalink

Our health is too important not to be provided to all. It has to remain a bit for profit service.

Azhar Malik replied on Permalink

They never share a risk. Their contracts are kept out of public eyes. No scrutiny for the private sector is utterly wrong.the public funded service must stay in publics hands

Mary Bate replied on Permalink

Keep it in the public domain never let OUR NHS be used by private, make as much profit as you can, companies.

Richard Haysom replied on Permalink

This is a must for myself and All my family

Happy to pay tax increase for the NHS!

Jo Hammond replied on Permalink

Yes, but not all could pay the extra, should be based on income/ capital

Phyl Hoadley replied on Permalink

You/we dont actually need to pay extra for the NHS. Remember the £s Boris Johnson promised to invest in the NHS when we left the common market?

And even without the £s the NHS would be better financed and organised without the private companies sticking their fingers in the pie. We pay/have paid for it for decades - for health care - not shareholders - to benefit chiefly.

Dont be conned, privatisation is for the benefit of the Conservatives and their rich friends and donors, certainly not for us. They dont understand our country, our geography, the needs of our people. Privatisation hasnt actually been a success so far, has it?

Azhar Malik replied on Permalink

It's so important to know that it is there when we need it, even if I am lucky to never need to use it. Worth every penny.

Mary Beer replied on Permalink

I believe our NHS needs to be kept for everyone not privatised and I would be prepared to pay higher taxes for this purpose

d harris replied on Permalink

I too would be willing to pay more tax but this money must be ringfenced

Maureen Deans replied on Permalink

The NHS has to be kept free at the point of need for everyone and provided on a not-for-profit basis.

shirley stout replied on Permalink

I fully agree

Harrai Singh replied on Permalink

I agree fully

aconstantinides... replied on Permalink

Do not ruin our best asset

Brian Randell replied on Permalink

A profit motivation is totally at odds with the appropriate NHS ethos

Jenny Goble replied on Permalink

Don't split up the NHS

Joan Webb replied on Permalink

This was always the aim and goal of the NHS

Rosemary Osmon replied on Permalink

The NHS should never be run for shareholders and corporate profit. Government duty is to provide and run efficiently a health service which is fair to all. It should not be beyond their capability to balance the books.

Caroline Cherry... replied on Permalink

Stop this decline of our health service in favour of those that cannot deliver. We need care for all

mike topp replied on Permalink

It's very easy for the wealihy members of society to sit back and let the Tories

dissect the NHS so their even wealthier fremds can make more money from the less

fortunate m3mbers of our society - follow the money trail!

S M Morton replied on Permalink

I agree that the NHS must be kept free at the point of need for every one and provided on a not-for-profit basis.

Mark replied on Permalink

Totally agree .the NHS is this country's greatest achievement

Keith McEwan replied on Permalink

I absolutely agree with this statement.

Nadia Ellis replied on Permalink

There must be enough funding from Government to enable this statement to be fulfilled and the whole population must be prepared to pay through taxation for this

Jo Hammond replied on Permalink

All healthcare from birth to death should be under NHS. Care homes, nursing homes, hospices and care workers should be part of the system.

kate danziger replied on Permalink

Free at the point of need

Heather Goodare replied on Permalink

Yes, I completely agree

Iris Woods replied on Permalink

The NHS was never designed to be a market place,or profit motivated, this is wrong on all counts

jean skasick replied on Permalink

This is not another of those "Let's dismantle it and re-write what's right and what's wrong." We are the envy of the world for the incredible service we receive, and remember for 'free'. For the sake of us all let's keep it that way!!! Surely this Pandemic is a classic case for it's need

Sylvia Davies replied on Permalink

NHS must be saved. Wake up everyone

susan odonnelly replied on Permalink

we must not let the gov sneak this past the public again, which is what they will do again most of what are the many problems are caused by the constant of taking money over the years from the nhs.

Constant underfunding is where we are at now.

Sue Rose replied on Permalink

Absolutely essential

Steve Woodhams replied on Permalink

The NHS is the backbone of this country.

Fred Woodward replied on Permalink

I think everyone in this country has been

Treated at some point by the health service. It must be kept out of the hands of private companies and Tory Party donators. Service must be kept free at the point of supply

Jennifer Travers replied on Permalink

The NHS must stay as set up free at point of need provided by taxes

Azhar Malik replied on Permalink

No one choses to be ill. Everuone needs free access to Health service based on their need (and not want) as it is not comodity and no one should be allowed to become rich from it

Azhar Malik replied on Permalink

HHS is a service and not a commodity

Azhar Malik replied on Permalink

It is completely unethical to allow someone, especially the big pharma and multinationals to profit from people's misfortune to become ill.

Monique Buchli replied on Permalink

The NHS should never be outsourced. The public paid for it to remain publicly owned and managed. We know only too well what will happen to it if privatised. No, No, No!

Azhar Malik replied on Permalink

This is the most important sign of a caring and civilised society

Janet Toye replied on Permalink

If private companies provide NHS care money that would otherwise be available directly for the NHS would go into share holders' pockets.

Eileen Gibson replied on Permalink

Agree. We should not allow profit to be involved in health.

Edith Gurney replied on Permalink

N H S proud to be English near as can be to --LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.

Martin Barnett replied on Permalink

Of course it should! It’s owned by the whole population and paid for by everyone.

Gary Strickland replied on Permalink

This campaign needs to be more user friendly to be relevant.

Mary Beer replied on Permalink

We need to keep the NHSto be able to be used by everyone and not privatised

margaret ghazyzadeh replied on Permalink

The NHS must be kept free at point of need for everyone and provided on a not for profit basis.

Iain Melville replied on Permalink

The NHS was created as a free health service for everyone. It must stay that way. Free medical treatment and aftercare at the point of need for everyone who needs it.

colin kendall replied on Permalink

we all rely on the NHS I have had fingers reattached and can continue to work,and am currently on a list for knee replacement

richard fellowes replied on Permalink

The NHS is the bedrock of the post second world war social settlement that created our Welfare State. Successive governments, including LABOUR GOVERNMENTS HAVE privatised the NHS by the back-door by introducing an internal market and creating independent competing Trusts and outsourcing ancillary services including visitors and NHS staff having to park and patients having to pay to watch television. The NHS IS THE ENVY OF THE WORLD and like many services such as transport, water, gas, electricity and the trains it needs to be completely restored to full public ownership based on the original principle of being free at the point of use and not run to generate profit for shareholders or multinational companies.

Patricia munns replied on Permalink

The nhs saved my life on three occasions and also members of family we don’t want the USA system the nhs is very important for this country and should continue for the good of all working families I would be happy to pay a small fee to see my gp thank you

Patricia munns replied on Permalink

The nhs must be kept free however how much it costs think of thee poor families

Jeffrey Wilson replied on Permalink

They should be here for the poor and rich and be in public ownership

Dr. R.L.Symonds replied on Permalink

The present pandemic is proof , if any more were needed, that the market cannot produce a response to save lives, and that only a Public Health Service, not for profit, funded by central taxation will provide for the health needs of a population.

Christine Leslie replied on Permalink

The idea that the NHS or any care services can be taken over by the market and out of the public domain and ownership is naive and shortsighted. It cannot work and it is not designed for you people to float on the stock exchange. Nobody can afford that. It destroys services and alters the whole ethos of a publicly owned and publicly responsible department. Making access to the services more difficult and expensive. It is not meant to make money for the conservative party but to serve the health needs of everyone.

Anonymous replied on Permalink

The present pandemic shows that the market cannot produce a response to save lives, and that only a Public Health Service, not for profit, funded by central taxation will provide for the health needs of a population.

MRS.M.A Fields replied on Permalink

Completely agree. The N.H.S serves the Country best in Public Ownership. Free at the point of need.

Joan Webb replied on Permalink

What could by a more important use of our taxes than health and welfare

Dave Carrick replied on Permalink

It's been a shambles and the remaining staff have done an amazing job under incredible pressure. give them the funds and staffing levels they need (and a pay rise)

Christina replied on Permalink

I absolutely agree with everything Dr. R l symonds says. Britain’s health system must remain free at the point of care and that care should be delivered by a nationally public owned body funded through central taxation,and national insurance contributions by the people For the People and that ALL profits and contributions should be ploughed back into that publicly owned body to improve on and continue delivering quality health care and equipment. The service should be Staffed by professionals who are trained , monitored and publicly culpable for maintaining the high healthcare standards . Profits should never ever go into private shareholders pockets.

The ownership of the NHS should remain publicly funded by the people for the people and care provided free at the point of need.

Heather Lucas replied on Permalink

I agree with the above comments regarding our NHS. It should be kept free at the point of use being paid for in the usual way.

Kathy Marsh replied on Permalink

Public health service should have been used from the onset. Maybe then the UK would not be in such a dire state. Privatisation are poor firms whose only function is to make a profit & provide a shambles of a service. Contributing towards a service which is inadequate.

Tim Drake replied on Permalink

Absolutely agree

Karen Nadin replied on Permalink

Keep on fighting this ghastly government.

Ben Giles replied on Permalink

Our NHS is the envy of the world and is a treasure that should not be fritted away, people count not profit.

Anonymous replied on Permalink

Keep on fighting this uncaring and amoral government. Make the public aware of its attempts to privatise health care,which should be free at source.

Jo Hammond replied on Permalink

Absolutely need to make people aware as so many I speak to are unaware how much has been privatised.

Norman Haggin replied on Permalink

Keep the NHS out of the hands of the greedy Tory’s & their greedier backers!

Linda Stevenson replied on Permalink

Keep fighting to keep NHS ours.Serco shambolic handling of track and trace is proof.if any was needed that private companies are not fit to run NHS.KEEP fighting we can win.

Alan Mayhew replied on Permalink

Very hypocritical if reduce the NHS after all their talk of SAVE THE NHS.

Laxmi replied on Permalink

I agree nhs should be kept free for everyone

David Gilbey replied on Permalink

Health care is about people not profit

Alison Little replied on Permalink

Our public NHS is so important for all of us and was certainly not developed to one day be overtaken by private health care that many would not be able to afford. Our NHS is unique and precious for Britain.

Alison Britton replied on Permalink

Stop the privatisation of any of the NHS. The privatised care and support I get for my (NHS diagnosed) sleep apnoea is totally inadequate.

Elspeth Scott replied on Permalink

The proof that private companies cannot and should not serve the health needs of the country can be seen in the Covid 19 crisis where defects in appointing such companies became clear. Inefficient, without experience, they nevertheless accepted contracts (PPE supply and Test and Trace) which they did not carry out effectively, but still paid out to shareholders

The NHS must become free of such private links, and be funded by increased taxation for all, whether rich or poor.

I am stating the above as a private citizen and retired NHS employee.

Heather Cresswell replied on Permalink

I remember before the NHS, when my parents argued, because they couldn’t afford the doctor for my very ill sister. Not for profit and free at the point of need is vital!

Barry Norman replied on Permalink

Forget McKinsey. The combination of private sector waste, incompetent political leadership and Boris Johnson has killed thousands who would still be alive today. Remember Novichok and Salisbury. Test and trace was handled superbly by Wiltshire County Council. Only a fanatic would think of giving the job to Dido Harding!

Maureen Sharpe replied on Permalink

Our NHS must be kept out of the hands of the private sector, they have proved during this pandemic that they are not to be trusted. NOT FOR SALE.

Willie Mckenna replied on Permalink

The NHS must remain a public service free at point of use. Countries with no such health service depend on The Insurance Industry to issue and sell policies.This results in those who afford it pay for full cover. Those less fortunate are forced to take out lesser or minimum cover policies. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

Ellen Graubart replied on Permalink

We won the right to a publicly owned national service that provided free and fair healthcare for all, from the cradle to the grave more than 70 years ago. No government should be allowed to take away a service established for the common good and put it into private hands for their financial gain.

Alice Marie Harland replied on Permalink

Free health care at point of need is a basic human right which must not be removed. All private contractors must be removed from our NHS and it revert to the service as it was founded by the post war government.

Maureen McKeown replied on Permalink

Health and well-being are rights, not commodities. Privatisation at any level is abhorrent and I reject it 100%.

Liam Mcparland replied on Permalink

I believe strongly that the NHS should be free at the point of use, that it should continue to be funded the way it currently is through income tax and NI contributions. Hospital trusts should be made more accountable to those they serve. There is a lack of transparency and accountability which not only dents the confidence of the general public but also leads to scandals such as the recent one at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS trust.

Anne Spiers replied on Permalink

With a shortfall of 40,000 nurses and goodness knows how many doctors and other NHS staff, it is criminal to think of putting the already inadequate financial resources into the pockets of private company owners. This PM promised a levelling up, which is what people voted for. Now he is breaking promises with breakneck speed and with no conscience or care for the welfare of anyone except himself and his cronies.

Pauline Dutton ... replied on Permalink

We need to get this awful govt out now!

Peter Nowland replied on Permalink

The NHS belongs to us

Paulette Perry replied on Permalink

We own the NHS, we pay for it through our taxes!

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