Lobby pushes Liverpool council to oppose privatisation

Save NHS demo, 4th march 2017, photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)

Roger Bannister, Liverpool Socialist Party

Around 70 people lobbied Liverpool council's 'Health and Wellbeing' board on 11 January to protest about 'accountable care' proposals.

Accountable care is the latest Tory plan to move towards privatisation of the NHS, where an accountable care organisation holds a long-term contract to oversee several health services, on a fixed budget.

Hospitals, GPs, district nurses, health visitors, care homes and home care would all be in one budget, and the contract could be run by an NHS trust, but is more likely to be run by companies like Virgin, or a private US-based healthcare company.

The majority of the protesters were members of the Merseyside Pensioners' Association, but they were joined by supporters of the Liverpool Against Cuts, pro-NHS campaigners, and several of the 'Liverpool 47' councillors, who defied Tory cuts in the city during the 1980s, in a lively protest.

50 of the protesters were allowed into the meeting, and Mayor Joe Anderson agreed to submit a resolution to the city council rejecting sustainability and transformation plans, accountable care systems and accountable care organisations.

This episode shows that pressure on councillors on NHS related matters can, and does achieve results.

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.