Secretary, Campaign Against Health Cuts PEOPLE who have worked all their lives and cannot afford to go to Harley Street private consultants will suffer pain and even premature death because of the government's health cuts — a financial axe that is being swung in order to give big tax cuts to the rich.
The area health authority Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham in South London does not like this, but one of the solutions it is putting forward to solve the 'financial crisis' is to cutback on 'specialised services' like kidney dialysis, liver units, pace makers and open heart surgery. These services will be denied to people not living in Ine area. unless hospitals pay for them. This robbing Peter to pay Paul' approach denies the right of every single person to a full and free health service.
Such a policy will not stop at the borough boundry. Once we let one limb of the NHS get chopped off, the gangrene of cuts will infect every. other area.
campaign has been jointly formed by the trades councils in the boroughs and unions in the NHS and outside, in order to maintain and improve health care in the area. It wants to see the principle of free health care for all at the time of need re-established.
The campaign will be holding a major conference on 10 November and will be producing some 30,000 leatlets for mass distribution in the localities and hospitals.
Socialist Challenge 5 July 1979 Page 10 the for