Unison on Monday sent a file of hundreds of testimonies from health workers, patients and members of the public who care about the NHS, to Prime Minister Cameron and Deputy PM Clegg, on the eve of the union’s health conference.
The testimonies shine a spotlight on what patients and health workers think about the Tory-led Health and Social Care Bill.
Unison said: ‘The message coming through loud and clear is that they do not want the NHS to be broken up, and sold off for the benefit of private companies. They know this will be bad news for patients.’
Unison General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said: ‘Everyone’s life has been touched by the NHS – it’s part of our national heritage.
‘But the plans outlined in the Tory-led coalition’s Health and Social Care Bill spell real danger for the future of our national health service.
‘These testimonies show that the public are not in the dark. They know that Lansley’s plans need major surgery.
‘Patients, the public and health workers do not want the values at the heart of our NHS to change.
‘Selling off the NHS is a bad idea. It is the wrong prescription for our health service, and as neither party had it in their manifesto – the coalition has no democratic mandate to push ahead.’
The union issued a selection of the testimonies for publication.
These include: ‘My 22-year-old daughter discovered a lump in her throat and visited the doctor.
‘She was sent immediately to the hospital and less than two weeks later had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had the cancer removed.
‘To hear the word cancer being diagnosed for your daughter stops your world. Every hour of uncertainty feels like eternity.
‘The speed and care with which my daughter was supported meant the world to us all.
‘We fear that under this government and privatisation her life could have been threatened by postcode lottery or profit over her life.’ – Cheryl P from the East Midlands.
Clare H from South East wrote: ‘My husband has a rare cancer, which is fortunately treatable with a new drug. He has had world class treatment from specialists.
‘I am concerned that giving GPs control of spending would inhibit access to expensive treatments and specialist consultants.
‘Due to his treatment, my husband is alive, able to work, able to be a father to his children. Will patients like him in the future be supported to receive this excellent treatment?
‘Incidentally, a fellow patient who has private healthcare, found that his cover ran out, and he had to return to the NHS to get treated. Let’s not pretend that the private sector has all the answers.’
Kenneth J from the South East, said: ‘Both my wife and myself have suffered cancer, I also suffer from ulcerative colitis and I am a type 2 diabetic. It worries both of us, as we are both retired, what NHS holds for us in the future.’
Carol W from South East says: ‘My daughter has a rare disability. In an “economic” health system it would not be “worth” researching her condition and we couldn’t afford insurance as I was her carer when she was young. She may not be alive today if not for the NHS.’
Anne R from Yorkshire and Humberside says: ‘My parents are becoming elderly and frail and are more likely to need the NHS than ever before in their lives.
‘I barely use the NHS but as I approach my 60s I envisage more need for it than I have so far. Just at the time when it will be dismantled and/or privatised.’
Bernadette W from the Northern region added: ‘It’s thanks to the NHS that I am alive to just write this message.
‘I was a single parent with three children and became dangerously ill and had to go in to hospital. If there had been no NHS, I would not have been able to afford the treatment I received. I would not be here caring for my children today.’
Heather S from London says: ‘My mum used to work for the NHS as an auxiliary nurse.
‘Someone close to me was looked after by the NHS during long illness. I also was looked after very well in hospital once following an accident.
‘I was born in an NHS hospital. Myself and my family and friends use NHS services for all our health and dental needs.
‘It is vital that the NHS is retained as a strong service to help everyone, especially those most in need, and that it is properly funded without the constraints of staffing/service cuts or privatisation.’
Kiri T from London says: ‘The NHS is one of the greatest treasures this country has, full of hard-working, committed people like my midwife sister. I am really fearful that we will lose it and end up with a system like the USA.’
Amanda R, from the Eastern region, said: ‘In the past week my elderly father has had life-saving heart surgery at my local NHS hospital, and my two-year-old son was admitted to A&E with an illness my GP could not diagnose.
‘In both cases the ability, skill and professionalism shown by staff now means both my father and son are recovering and well. Cuts to the NHS are not only avoidable, they are completely unforgivable.’
Anne C form the North West region said: ‘Having been the recipient of life saving treatment not once, but several times, I know how vital it is that we keep the NHS public.
‘We simply cannot afford to allow this government (without a mandate) to turn the NHS into a private enterprise, we all know where that leads, having seen the results when Thatcher privatised the public utilities; fat profits for the few, higher prices and less accountability for the rest of us.’
Norma N from North West says: ‘Four members of my family have long-term serious health conditions.
‘Without this service at least two of them would not be alive today.
‘It is vital for all members of society to be able to access a well-resourced efficient service.
‘Health Service employees already do a very difficult job under great pressure. They should be able to perform their duties, without the added stress of pending budget cuts.’
Christine F from the North West said: ‘My husband has been very ill, and received superb treatment in 2009.
‘We know that one of the hospitals where he was treated is top of the hit list for cuts. We don’t even want to think about the consequences for him and others in our position.’
Linda P from East Midlands says: ‘The money spent on the NHS in recent years has not been wasted as I keep on hearing.
‘I remember the bad old Conservative years when if an MRI scan or an operation was needed there were two year+ waiting lists. Those waiting lists appear to have become mostly a thing of the past. I DO NOT want them back!
‘My daughter is ill and needs regular and sometimes urgent consultations. The NHS needs even more money spending so that ALL waiting lists are cut the public get the best most appropriate treatment.’
John F from the South West says: ‘The NHS and its staff have been there for me at several stages in my life.
‘As a child I suffered from Epilepsy and received treatment from NHS staff for several years. More recently, as an adult I been receiving ongoing treatment for ulcerative colitis.
‘Throughout both these periods I have been impressed by the professionalism and touched by the care of the staff that work in this critical services.
‘The NHS is an invaluable national asset and it would be an act of criminal irresponsibility to damage this invaluable service.’
