Blair's health service lies

THE NATIONWIDE campaign against health service cuts, which was described in the guardian as "the most widespread and prolonged unrest since the poll tax revolt in 1990" has got Blair and New Labour worried.

Health secretary Patricia Hewitt claims that the government's 'reforms' are to save lives rather than to save money. Tony Blair says: "the best is yet to come with more lives saved, stopping more pain and distress".

The Blairite Institute for Public Policy Research even said that anti-cuts campaigners were obstructing modernisation and risking lives.

Lois Austin of Southwark Keep our NHS Public commented: "What lies! These changes to NHS services are about reducing services to bring down spending on the NHS and preparing for privatisation.

At Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital up to seven wards have closed over the last few months. They are currently closing a cancer ward which will mean eight less beds. Cancer patients will be mixed with other patients on inappropriate wards scattered around the hospital with specialist cancer nurses travelling around the hospital to care for their patients.

How does this save lives or improve patient care? It doesn't. Patient care around the country is being threatened under the hammer blows of cuts and closures.

At Southwark council's Health Scrutiny committee this week just about each sector of health was being squeezed by cost-cutting to services. Primary care services in my borough were suffering from a loss of district nurses and other staff. Some parts of primary health were being forced to cut their budget by over 50%.

Everywhere these cuts are having a devastating effect. Only a mass campaign organised throughout our communities is capable of stopping these cuts and getting the money needed to run services to meet people's needs".