National Nurses United

"The essence of a satisfactory health service is that the rich and the poor are treated alike, that poverty is not a disability, and wealth is not advantaged." —aneurin bevan, u.k. minister of health, 1945–1951 Across the political and social spectrum, people have been taking action to protest privatization and the closure of local clinics, hospitals, and services. A notable victory against privatization was won in 2005 by campaigners in South West London. The South West London Elective Orthopedic Center (SWLEOC) was recently established at a cost of £16 million (about U.S. $33.4 million) to British taxpayers. SWLEOC was then earmarked for a fast-track transfer to a New York-based outfit called Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS); this would have been the first NHS treatment center privatization of its kind. The British government had agreed to ignore the usual procurement rules and fund all legal and professional costs in order to push the privatization through swiftly. NHS pressure groups London Health Emergency, Unison, and Keep Our NHS Public launched an aggressive public campaign to defeat this initiative. "We are talking here about a well-run, top-quality NHS facility that would have been hijacked by venture capitalists from America at grave risk to local NHS patients," said Geoff Martin, chair of London Health Emergency. "Our campaign exposed the government's plans to fast-track SWLEOC into the private sector and delayed them in the first round through a high-profile public campaign. We fought them all the way in what we knew was very much a national test case on the future of the NHS. This was a major victory." The release of Michael Moore's film SiCKO collided with growing concern over the direction of the public health system in Britain and provided fuel for many arguments against privatization. "The NHS is not a charity, it is a service which everyone pays into and everyone is entitled to use, unlike the American system that has been laid bare by SiCKO," Nunn said. "The patchwork privatization of the NHS is deeply worrying because privatized healthcare tends to cost more; UNITED STATES AND UNITED KINGDOM HEALTH STATISTICS COMPARISONS UK USA Life expectancy at birth Male 77 Female 81 Male 75 Female 80 Infant mortality rate 5 per thousand 7 per thousand Nurses per 1,000 population 12.12 9.37 Total expenditure as percentage of GDP 2004 8.1 15.4 Percentage from government 86.3 44.7 As percentage of total government expenditure 15.9 accountability suffers; the fog of commercial confidentiality makes scrutinizing public spending impossible; and the profit motive encourages cherry picking of the lucrative work, ultimately leading to NHS services being cut." Jennings pointed out that this fight is not just an emotional reaction to change. "The NHS is the most cost-effective and efficient healthcare service in the world," she said. "It is a system based on solidarity. No one at the point of delivery has to worry about how to pay. The NHS defines the British public, it remains a cherished institution. Despite some demoralization at the pace and continuity of attempted ill-tested reforms, registered nurses love the NHS and are loyal to it." The affection for and loyalty to the NHS across generational lines was exemplified on Nov. 3 by families of grandparents, parents, and children all wearing the slogan "Proud to be born in the NHS" on Tshirts. This same pride and loyalty was demonstrated by various nurses attending the rally. Dominic Lewis, 24, has been a qualified nurse (what the United States calls registered nurse) for just one year. He works in an operating room in a South London hospital. He became a nurse after working briefly in a hospital as an auxiliary. "I was so impressed by the dedication of the nurses and the doctors, the professionalism and dedication to public service. I had never seen anything so inspiring," he said. "I know there are a lot of shake-ups happening around the country in the NHS, and that's why I am an active member of Unison. It gives us all a voice. I want to defend the NHS. It's such a noble institution." Jean Cawthorne is retired from nursing but was still moved to attend the rally with a group of her friends, other retired nurses who are active in campaigns. She is not impressed by the move to privatize services. Her long experience in the NHS has given her a steely approach to fighting those who would undermine it. "The NHS has always been an excellent organization. It has been a part of the fabric of the U.K. for nearly 60 years now and we are not about to let it slip away," she proclaimed. As the sun set over Trafalgar square, Andrea Gibbs gave the last, and perhaps most poignant, address to the crowd. As a paramedic in the London Ambulance Service, the largest of its kind in the world, Gibbs works for an organization that takes more than 3,000 calls on a normal day. "I work in the NHS because I believe in the principles of the NHS," said Gibbs. "It has been there for me and my family and I want it to be there for future generations. Like NHS ambulance crews all over the U.K., I help save lives. I am part of the great team of people that is the NHS. "We are the front line, first on the scene for many people—sick, hurt, and frightened. We treat their injuries at the road side, in their homes, at work, or at leisure. We make them comfortable, we hold their hands. We check their pulse, we check their blood pressure, but we never check their credit card." ■ 18.9 (All figures from the World Health Organization, 2005, latest figures available) NOVEMBER 2007 Gerard Brogan is a nurse and freelance photojournalist based in Cambridge, England. W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G REGISTERED NURSE 21

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