By Andy Yorke Lord Darzi’s 12 September report on NHS England has been widely welcomed for its defence of the beloved health service. One of the first acts of the new Labour government was to commission the esteemed academic surgeon to carry out ‘a rapid investigation of the state of the NHS, assessing patient access, […]

The Tories can't be trusted with the NHS. But there can be no holding back for Labour.

NHS: doctors coordinate

The fight goes on, but only rank and file control can overcome obstacles

AS WE go to press NHS managers and Health Minster Steve Barclay are dragging the largest NHS union, the Royal College of Nursing, before the High Court in a bid by to block nurses’ strike action due to start on the May Day weekend. They claimed that the strike mandate would be invalid from midnight […]

Health bulletin for 29 March 2023

The pay offer is an insult. Organise to fight for more.

By Andy Yorke WINTER IS here and along with it the deepest NHS crisis yet. Despite the respite from covid in 2022, waiting lists hit an all-time record of 7.2 million in December, with up to 500 excess deaths a week as a result of delays. A record number of patients waited over 12 hours […]

IN A historic first, nurses in the RCN union, pushed to breaking point, have joined the strike wave against the cost of living crisis. And despite media attempts to probe for public disapproval, they have massive support. A million patients are treated in the NHS every 36 minutes, and they are overwhelmingly grateful to and […]

Archive article about the 1982 NHS strike.

7.2 million people are on waiting lists for NHS treatment in England.

Editorial December-January 2022/23, No. 399

The government has picked a fight with nurses to hold public sector pay down and continue NHS privatisation.

By KD Tait THE ROYAL College of Nursing (RCN) is taking strike action on 15 and 20 December in the largest nurses’ strike in UK history. After more than a decade of underfunding, health workers have seen their pay, conditions and staffing levels deteriorate to breaking point. Nurses have lost more than 20% of their […]

Health bulletin for 14 December 2022

Joint strike committees should mobilise across all unions for a big yes vote, and demand escalating action to win

Day of action on 26 Feb.

Since the start of the pandemic, trans people have been left in limbo by the NHS, with devastating effects on their physical and mental health.

Only the rank and file can overcome the divided union leaders and deliver votes for industrial action

Omicron and vaccine mismanagement push pandemic into third year

By Rebecca Anderson THERE IS a real opportunity for coordinated strike action between two of Britain’s largest workforces: council workers, including school support staff, and hospital employees. If successful, it could bust the public sector pay freeze and build momentum in private sector struggles for substantial pay rises. Local government and school staff have been […]

Profiteers are cherry-picking the most profitable parts of our health service

The pandemic has exposed that the NHS is not so much at breaking point, but beyond it.

Healthworkers are being balloted over the government's insulting 3% pay offer

Government offers "insulting" 3%.

If our “leaders'' won't lead, then grassroots activists need to take initiative and organise.

Workplace activists can lead the fight for 15%.

Cross-union strike committees should be elected to unite the unions behind 15% and prepare coordinated action

£17m paid to shareholders.

Class, oppression and mental health under lockdown.