Campaigns
Positively Public Briefings
Monthly briefings providing the latest campaigning, privatisation and good practice news. Link to another page on this siteAvailable here
National news

UNISON welcomes assurances over NHS reform

(09/05/08) Government pledges staff and patients will be the driving force for change

For safety’s sake

(08/05/08) Meat inspection to remain in public control

Everyday heroes

(06/05/08) Say ‘thank you’ to the special people who care for the UK’s sick children

Food for good

(01/05/08) UNISON calls for school (and hospital) meals to be sourced locally
News list >

The National Health Service

The health service has undergone fundamental change in service provision. The direction of change seeks to shift from an integrated system, with the NHS providing virtually all of the care, to a much more mixed one, in which the private sector plays an increasingly major part.

However, the reforms are having a detrimental effect on patients, staff and services. Hospitals face being shut down; wards are being closed; some trusts face crippling financial debts; jobs are being lost and services are being outsourced to private health providers. The reforms have taken many diverse forms and include: independent sector treatment centres; patient choice; payment by results; PFI and foundation hospital trusts.

Documents:

UNISON Factsheet on hospital acquired infections - April 2007
Link to an Acrobat PDFUNISON Factsheet on hospital acquired infections - April 2007 [PDF]

Machines, markets and morals
Report Analysis the new politics of a democratic NHS.
Link to a PDF document on this siteReport Analysis the new politics of a democratic NHS [PDF]

For more information:
In the Interests of Patients?
Link to a web page on this site Keep the NHS Working Campaign

CONTACT DETAILS
• The UNISON contact for the Positively Public campaign is Margie Jaffe.
Positively Public
1 Mabledon Place
London WC1H 9AJ
Email: positivelypublic@unison.co.uk
Recent documents
NHS @ 60
Document containing a mix of serious articles (including one by Dave Prentis), light-hearted features and potted histories to illustrate why it's essential that we continue to celebrate and defend the NHS as it turns 60
Link to a PDF document on this siteAcrobat PDF version
Machines, markets and morals

This pamphlet from the think tank Compass calls on the government to end the marketisation of the NHS and instead allow staff and users to shape the service democratically.Link to a PDF document on this siteAcrobat PDF (1709088 bytes)

PFI cost to the NHS
This study analyses the cost of using private finance to build the first 12 operational PFI hospitals by 2001-2002. It shows that PFI creates budget inflexibilities that increase pressures on the NHS to cut its largest cost: the jobs, working conditions and pay of staff, therefore impacting on the quality of healthcare services.
Link to a PDF document on this siteAcrobat PDF (70277 bytes)
The UK Public Library Service - facing the challenges
This factsheet highlights the challenges the public library service faces and UNISON's campaign to defend the service, which is very popular and valued by local communities.
Link to a document on this siteLibrary factsheet (366592 bytes)
Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
This fact sheet outlines the arguments against PFI.
Link to a document on this siteWord document (375296 bytes)
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