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*Cancer testing centres and virtual wards will be among the services cut *US healthcare model of denial of healthcare now embedded into NHS Reforms In a letter sent in January to all ICBs and in a verbal dictate to Labour MPs, Wes Streeting makes it clear that he will support ICB decisions to cut services in order to cut their deficits, and reform the NHS locally, he will pay no head to those making criticism of the decisions made by England's 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICB) to cut local healthcare services, clinical staff, close down healthcare services and reduce holidays and pay to Doctors and other clinical staff. In other words; the days of a uniform, consistent, and universal healthcare service across England are over and being replaced by a locally rationed healthcare service determined by budget constraints and politically acceptable philosophy of 'value for money' efficiencies determined by cutting 'low value healthcare services provision'; and to the increasing transfer of NHS services to the private sector.
The Health Service Journal, a paid subscription on-line news website specialising in NHS and Healthcare news: reported in January: Mr Streeting said he had told Labour MPs and would be telling others they should “engage” with local NHS leaders “with an open mind”, and raise concerns with him, but: “What I will not do is give any encouragement to people who are beating up local NHS leaders as they make the changes that are necessary, not only to get the NHS back on its feet but to make it fit for the future.” Authorising a 'free-for-all' in financial priorities for the ICBs, he said he refuses to intervene in any of the cases brought to him so far and will support 'future configurations' of services made by ICBs. In other words, the necessary, for financial reasons' to cut healthcare services, clinical staff number and their terms and conditions: The health and social care secretary said although he was part of the “checks and balances” to stop poorly thought through reconfigurations, he had not intervened in any which had been referred to him so far. He added: “I’m almost encouraging more [reconfigurations] in the coming years, in order to effectively reform the NHS and make better use of taxpayers’ money.” Now this month, with the pressure being put on by Streeting and NHS England, major cuts to healthcare services provided by the NHS directly and via private healthcare companies, e.g. ophthalmology, diagnostic screening, will be targeted in order to plug ICB deficits amounting to £6.6 Billion. Far from giving the NHS more funding as Streeting and Starmer claims, they are forcing, as in the US, major cuts to healthcare and literally 'denying' healthcare were it is seen as not being cost effective and in order to enable further cuts to NHS budgets in 2025/2026.
1. All the workforce objectives included in the 2024-25 planning guidance designed to improve “the working lives of all staff and [increase] staff retention and attendance”, especially those of “doctors in training”, and to “provide sufficient clinical placements and apprenticeship pathways”. 2. Improve community service waiting times, with a focus on reducing long waits. Removal of this target comes at a time sharp rises in children waiting help from community services for more than a one, and two years. 3. Increasing the percentage of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in line with the 75 per cent early diagnosis ambition by 2028; has also been dropped. 4. Mental health priorities including increasing access to adult community mental health and perinatal mental health, and ensuring that people with severe mental illness or a learning disability receive a physical health check. A target to increase dementia diagnosis has also been dropped. Funding and targets for 'talking therapies' access has also been cut, unless it fits in with the Government's aim of reducing welfare payments. In other words, being forced into taking work whilst battling with mental ill-health, in order to get health support and treatment! Further cuts in NHS healthcare provision have been announced this month as a result of the need to prioritise ICB deficits created by continual under-funding by this Labour Government.
a) Recently-opened cancer testing centres and virtual wards will be among the services cut back as the NHS seeks to eliminate a £6.6bn forecast deficit. b) Restricting treatments, extending waiting times, de-funding the third sector, and significant job cuts for clinicians as well as managers. c) Recently-opened cancer testing centres and virtual wards will be among the services cut back as the NHS seeks to eliminate a £6.6bn forecast deficit. d) Restricting treatments, extending waiting times, de-funding the third sector, and significant job cuts for clinicians as well as managers.
Interestingly, one of the many comments made to the HSJ news report, reads as though written on behalf of so many NHS support groups, and no doubt a hell of a lot of voters and NHS patients: "Streeting is offensive on so many levels. He’s insulted GPs, third sector organisations, mislead on various manifesto commitments, wants a ‘leap of faith’ on neighbourhoods [is a ‘leap of faith’ any way to plan, especially when the indications are very worrying re local capability in so many parts of the country]; he’s disrespectful to NHS leadership, especially the thoroughly decent Amanda Pritchard, he’s appointed his special advisors in two main camps 1] the throwback kids from the year 2000 and 2] the motherhood and apple pie brigade who think wishing things, make it so. No substance on the 10 year plan either. Don’t trust him. The ambitious sound bite kid cares more about looking tough at cabinet and getting to No10 as soon as possible, than he does patients. When he proudly says he will back managers making tough decisions, he must know that means, cuts which patients will endure!" A Labour Government gave us the NHS which we all pay for, and now a Labour Government IS taking it away from us! What's more, National Insurance contributions and other taxes will still be needed to fund a skeleton-like NHS service, and so we will be paying twice for any healthcare we need! See also: NHS Privatisation News Archive
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