Event to celebrate NHS 60th Birthday
by Kate Ramsden
The STUC congratulated NHS Scotland on its
60th birthday and threw its weight behind UNISON's
call for a special event to celebrate this anniversary.
Lilian Macer, UNISON Scotland's Vice-convenor
and Health Executive Chair told congress that the NHS
is the UK's greatest and most prized institution. "The
principles of the NHS were to provide a comprehensive
service funded by taxation, available to all and free
at the time of need," she said, adding that record
investment and service modernisation have delivered real
improvements in health care.
"The NHS Together demonstration in
London in November last year was a joyous celebration
of the NHS, and the world saw how much our NHS, created
by the trade union and the labour movement, means to the
people and voters of the UK."
She warned, however, that the introduction
of competition and the increasing involvement of the private
sector is putting the NHS at risk. "We know there
are still huge challenges and privatisation remains a
virus in the NHS. We must continue to fight for the survival
of the NHS that our movement created 60 years ago."
Lillian welcomed the Scottish Government's
stated opposition to using public money to help the private
sector compete with the NHS, and told Congress that this
is in line with UNISON Scotland's aims, to see the delivery
of healthcare on the basis of collaboration and co-operation
rather than division and competition.
She called on Congress to give its support
for the Scottish public service model as the strategy
for delivering co-ordinated health services in Scotland
and to continue to defend its principles as outlined by
Nye Bevan when he said, "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 not
an advantage."
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