Newsletter to SHA members in
Wales: No. 12
Welcome to all new members. Membership of SHA Cymru (SHAC) is now over 100 from all parts of Wales. New members are always welcome, so if you know anyone who would like a membership form, please let me know. If you are a member of the Labour Party and would like to be an SHAC delegate to your CLP, please let me know (lewis.linda55@btinternet.com).
COVID-19
As at the week ending 2 May 2021, a total of 2,635,626 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were given in Wales. Of the 2,635,626 doses, 1,861,881, were first doses and 773,745 were second doses (PHW). While this may be good news for Wales, there are still some countries where vaccines are limited. The World Health Organisation has led the development of a Fair Allocation Framework that aims to ensure that Covid-19 vaccines and treatments are shared equitably across all countries. Their message is that we are not safe until everyone is safe. Therefore, the UK Government must participate in the sharing of vaccines.
Welsh Matters
Senedd election
There has been some speculation that the success of Labour in the Senedd election is down to the way Mark Drakeford, First Minister has handled the pandemic. While this may have been a contributing factor for some people, the manifesto was also well received. Although not all SHAC’s recommendations made it into the final document (which can be accessed http://www.shacymruwales.cymru/), SHAC will continue to press for Welsh Labour keep its promises to Wales identified in the manifesto. SHAC will also continue to work with Welsh Labour to ensure that the ‘americanisation’ of health and social care happening in England through the creation of Integrated care Organisations (ICO’s) does not creep into Wales.
We are fortunate to have several of our own members on the National Policy Forum (NPF) as the elected Welsh delegates. Tony Beddow – who serves on the health and Care commission – has provided the following short summary of what the Policy Commission and its members do and the issues before the Health and Care Commission.
- The NPF and its policy commissions
The NPF exists to help the Labour Party (and the Parliamentary Labour Party) devise its policy platform for the next UK general election. It has no role in shaping policy for Welsh Senedd elections, but Welsh members can send in their ideas on issues that matter to them and especially matters that are dealt with at the UK level:- for example Economy Business and Trade, Justice and Home Affairs, International, and Work, Pensions and Equality.
- From policies to Manifesto
SHA Members may be aware that Labour’s national conference agrees the major planks in the policy platform that is then distilled into the Party’s UK election manifesto by the Party Leadership and the Parliamentary Labour Party. For health and social care matters the remit of the NPF runs only for services in England and as is explained later, the Welsh, Scottish and N. Ireland approaches to Health and Care differ markedly from their English equivalent – in respect of the extent of private sector provision and the continuation of an internal market in the English NHS.
- How the Policy Commissions work
The following is based on my experience of the Health and Social Care Commission. Until Covid-19, the Commission met face to face in London for about two hours every couple of months. Delegates unable to spend a day travelling there and back could join in by telephone but this was problematic. Since Covid-19, meetings have been held using Zoom. Paid Party staff provide the secretarial service, and the Chair of the Commission has traditionally been a senior official of Unison. Attendees are usually Jonathan Ashworth Shadow Heath Minister and several of the Shadow Health Team, delegates elected by the nations and regions, the secretariat, and outside bodies invited to give evidence on topics that the Commission is keen to learn more about. At every session of the Commission, all the submissions sent in by members (and others) are noted but rarely discussed in detail. I have suggested methods by which the worth of submissions can be assessed but my impression is that most submissions have little impact on the policy of the Party.
In the past the full NPF has met annually to bring together the different themes coming from all eight Commissions as the General Election looms. The Economy, Business and Trade Commission and the Shadow Chancellor and front bench are charged with finding the funding for agreed policies.
- The Health and Social Care Commission 2018 to present
In 2018 the Commission looked at several issues as well as considering submissions sent to the Commission. These included how to tackle health inequalities – a topic to which it is returning at its May 2021 meeting. In 2019 it looked at rebuilding a public NHS workforce and a publicly delivered NHS in preparation for the General Election. This included examining likely costs and sources of revenue. The nature of social care in the future was also examined at several meetings.
SHA Cymru All Members meetings
Since the last all members meeting there have been all members meetings on:
Tuesday 2 March 2021 7pm via ZOOM where Jocelle Lovell Director for Inclusive Communities gave a talk on Digital Communities Wales. Meeting notes can be accessed on the website.
Tuesday 19 March 2021 2 pm via ZOOM which was an extra all members meeting to discuss the forthcoming SHA UK AGM. Meeting notes can be accessed on the website once approved.
Tuesday 30 March 2021 7pm via Zoom where Brian Gibbons gave a presentation on the Inverse Care Law. A special newsletter was also produced with contribution from Katie Dougan and Jenny Hein, 3rd Year Medical Students from Swansea University who reported on a conference held to commemorate Julian Tudor Hart. The recently elected SHA UK Chair, Mark Ladbrooke outlined the unusual circumstances facing SHA following the adjourned AGM. Meeting notes can be accessed on the website once approved.
The next all members meeting will be jointly with the Socialist Educational Association on Tuesday 25 May 2021, 7pm. The focus of the meeting will be on: An Anti-racist Wales – what our response should be to the ‘Race Equality Action Plan for Wales’ https://gov.wales/race-equality-action-plan-anti-racist-wales.
Guest speakers: Shahien Taj // Maria Constanza Mesa. Open to non-members.
Register in advance here:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEudO-hrT4qGdxEW62ttWVPo3gMJSai_uPl
UK matters
SHA UK
On Saturday 20 March 2021, the SHA UK AGM was held. It was a strange AGM with no votes allowed and no motions. Consequently, the officers’ reports were not agreed and usual business e.g., electing auditors was not conducted. The meeting was “adjourned” without introducing the new officers. After nearly two months, on Saturday 8 May 2021 the new officers finally gained access to most of the information needed to call the 2ndpart of the AGM and conclude business. However, the previous administration is still denying them access to the social media accounts. On Sunday 9 May 2021, the first Central Council meeting was held. With the increase in membership across the UK and consequently an increase in Central Council members plus members who attending as observers, the meeting was challenging. Both meetings were chaired well by Mark Ladbrooke and the new administration are keen to progress with campaigning on health and social care issues.
As a result, a motion shown below on the NHS and social care was agreed to go to UK Labour Conference and members are requested to get it passed at as many CLPs as possible. If you want any clarification or further information, please get in touch. Wales cannot ignore this as irrelevant as it is not happening here, because if we do not support our colleagues in England to fight this it may find its way across the border.
Care according to need, not cuts for private profit
Conference notes the Tory Government proposals to establish unaccountable, statutory Integrated Care Systems (ICS) boards with binding plans. The ICSs will mean more private contracts; lower standards through professional deregulation, downskilling and more outsourcing of NHS jobs; reduced and rationed services (partially replaced by ‘digital’ options and volunteers); and significant spending cuts.
Conference resolves:
1. To actively alert local councillors and MPs to the threat posed by Integrated Care Systems and the dramatic loss of local accountability.
2. To use all means to actively oppose the ICSs including that the shadow health team and the Parliamentary Labour Party will vigorously oppose the establishment of ICSs and their roll-out in England
3. To demand a meaningful public and Parliamentary consultation to decide how health and social care services are provided in England.
4. To introduce legislation to end the destructive effects of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act and to bring about universal, comprehensive, publicly provided and closely coordinated NHS and social care services, free at the point of use and fit for the 21st century, as per the NHS Bill at www.nhsbillnow.org
5.To promote greater collaboration with the Labour Parties in the devolved nations, in order to learn from their experiences in continuing to promote a public service NHS in their jurisdictions
Please keep checking the website
http://www.shacymruwales.cymru/
Members only Facebook page – to access contact Linda Lewis