We need a real NHS New Deal

By Isabelle Jani Friend - Just Treatment Patient Leader

To sign up to volunteer for the NHS New Deal click here

The NHS has been on its knees these past few months fighting its greatest ever crisis, COVID19. For weeks we came together to #ClapfortheNHS, well now isn't it time we stop putting a strain on our precious healthcare system and start demanding a New Deal that is better for us all? 

On the 30th June 2020, Boris Johnson set out his plans for the NHS in his New Deal speech. The Government sets to spend £1.5bn for hospital maintenance, removing mental health dormitories, increase hospital building and improve A&E capacity. The hope is that this will improve the care patients receive, whilst also reducing the risk of COVID19 infections. 

However, the overall strategy was almost identical to the one Johnson set out in 2019, with the coronavirus crisis not causing a rethink of key goals. Despite a 25% fall in UK GDP since the pandemic, the plan includes no new money. His £5bn new deal representing only 0.2% of UK GDP. 

The Heath Foundation thinktank said that the funds will not address the years in which the health service has been underinvested. This New Deal just highlights the continuation in Government decisions to underfund key public services. 

The NHS has suffered greatly under austerity and the ongoing privatisation of our health system. It is time for a New Deal that ensures patient care is prioritised over profits. 

Just Treatment have created a New Deal that will centre around a people powered campaign. We will speak to people in all 650 constituencies in the UK to create a tailor-made deal that works for us all. Using their stories, we will create a set of demands to form a New Deal for the NHS that will build on the response to the pandemic and create a deal that will positively improve our health service. Our campaigns have been effective as they are patient led, we will take their first hand experiences and develop a New Deal that is powerful and effective. One that can make noticeable change. 

It is crucial that we invest in NHS staff and ensure they receive a fair and decent salary, that we look at improving mental health support which will be essential post COVID19 and we continue fighting for fair access to essential treatments. Our deal will allow for greater transparency so that tax payers are aware of how their money is being spent.  

If we are going to reverse austerity then the Government needs to be willing to spend more on essential services. This pandemic has shown the importance of our NHS and how much we need access to free and fair healthcare. The Just Treatment plan is to Listen. Build. Win. We should use this pandemic to fight for our NHS. We can’t neglect it.