Newsletter to SHA members in Wales: No. 10
ADVANCE NOTICE
Please note the following dates:
Tuesday 19, January 2021 7pm SHA Cymru all members meeting
Saturday 30, January 2021 2pm SHA UK all members meeting
Monday 1, February 2021 7pm SHA Cymru and SHA Scotland event on Social Care. This will be open to all SHA members in UK and any interested parties in trade unions, other Socialist parties, Labour etc. To register, please contact socialisthealthscotland@gmail.com
Saturday 6, March 2021 SHA UK AGM. It is especially important that as many as possible attend as there will be voting in of officers and committee.
All links and agendas will be circulated nearer the date.
COVID-19
Since the last newsletter things have changed substantially with the COVID – 19 situation not only in Wales but across the UK. Health Boards and Authorities are under increasing strain with winter pressures and the number of COVID-19 in-patients. More younger people are being reported as having COVID-19 and regrettably, the daily death toll from COVID-19 remains high. Unions and Teachers are advising that schools move to remote learning to reduce the transmission.
Two vaccines have been licensed in the UK for administration. Although there was initially a set regime between the first and second dose of each vaccine, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has now decided that it would have the greatest impact in reducing mortality to vaccinate more people with one dose first. Therefore, at short notice, people due for the second dose had to be rescheduled “causing alogistical nightmare for those delivering the vaccine and possibly will have a terrible impact on the emotional wellbeing of the most vulnerable, at-risk patients.” BMJ 2020;371. Richard Vautrey, Chair of the BMA’S General practitioners Committee said that the Government must publish a scientifically validated justification for its new approach.
Welsh Matters
SHA Cymru All Members meeting
Thank you to those who attended this meeting via ZOOM on 9 December 2020 and all those who sent apologies.
Draft Manifesto
Work is ongoing responding to the draft policy document with contributions from many SHAC members. Meanwhile, officers continue dialogue with Vaughan Gething’s special advisors, and a copy of the final submission will go to all members.
Working groups
Members are reminded that SHA Cymru Wales have set up three working groups.
- Inequalities in Health and the BAME community in Wales
- Safe Staffing group monitoring how the new Act is working
- Performance group looking at selected service and governance issues in the Welsh NHS including the role of the proposed Welsh Executive Board
Presently, most of the work involves information gathering drawing on the expertise of those willing to participate in the groups. Regarding the
“Performance group”, the major impact of Covid-19 right across the care system will alter both the 2021/2 aims of the Welsh NHS and disrupt previous planning and oversight arrangements so the original aims of this group may need to be modified.
If anyone is interested in joining any of the groups, please let me know Linda Lewis lewis.linda55@btinternet.com
SCOTLAND
There was a meeting on December 1, 2020 to plan the joint event on February 1, 2021. Julie Morgan MS has agreed to speak, and Monica Lennon MSP Shadow Health Minister will be asked to speak on Scotland perspective on Social Care.
UK matters
SHA UK
There was an all members meeting on December 5, 2020 attended by almost 100 members from across UK with almost every branch represented. All agreed that these meetings are useful and informative with more planned for 2021. However, members attending overwhelmingly expressed a lack of confidence in the current SHA UK officers due to their behaviour during Central Council meetings and their interpretation of the constitution, with every attending branch signalling its concern.
At the Central Council meeting on December 12, 2020 a financial report was submitted. There were some questions about payment for the report and the independence of the authors.
Brian Gibbons explained about the delay in organising the special general meeting that was requested last September in line with the constitution.
Alison Scouller attended part of a meeting called for Chairs and Secretaries which related more to networking in England and did not address the issue of the unrepresentative and dysfunctional current Central Council. despite this being pointed out by her and others present.
On a positive note, a new group is being created in the Bristol and South West England area.
SHA Cymru officers would like to hear your thoughts on these newsletters and if you would like to contribute in any way.
We would also be interested to hear how you would like to see SHA Cymru develop and move forward. Would you like SHA Cymru to concentrate on specific aspects relating to Health and Social Care, for example.
Send any thought to Linda Lewis lewis.linda55@btinternet.com
Members only Facebook page – to access contact Linda Lewis