The future of the NHS and UK care sector and the threat of privatisation was debated in the latest NPC Annual Convention webinar on Monday, 21 June, 2021.
World leading leading health expert, Professor Sir Michael Marmot said the government has ‘an opportunity’ to reverse the downward trend of wellbeing and life expectancy in the UK after the tragedy of the pandemic.
In the latest National Pensioners’ Convention virtual Annual Convention session, the Professor said the upward trend of life expectancy in UK stopped, and in many cases went into reverse between 2010 and 2020.
The adviser to the Director General of the World Health Organisation, said his Marmot Reviews of 2010 – which he revisited post-pandemic in 2020 - show the UK’s public health is in decline at a much greater rate than that of other western countries. And that this is largely down to decreased investment and emphasis on good public health, and was a contributing factor in the pandemic tragedy in the UK. He also told the online audience that ‘structural racism’ in the way Black Asian Minority Ethnic people receive treatment and public health messages is also a major factor in the decline, and was particularly so during the pandemic.
Professor Marmot told the NPC webinar: “The state of Britain’s health is terrible – in my ten -year Marmot Review of the state of Britain’s health, life expectancy slowed and almost ground to a halt after years of going up.
“Why, pre-pandemic did we have the slowest improvement of any rich country except the US and Iceland. And why was our health so bad coming into the pandemic?”
He felt ‘structural racism’ has also been a factor in the pandemic, with proportionally many more Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people dying from Covid 19
He said; “Pandemics expose the underlying inequalities in society and amplify them, and that is what this pandemic did.
“Thinking about the tragedy that happened in care homes during the pandemic we need to put equity and well-being at the heart of all government policy.”
For the full video report of the Professor’s speech see below:
(Professor’s speech is IN at 34.16 and OUT at 54.45)
World leading health care expert Professor Sir Michael Marmot was joined by Johnbosco Nwogbo of We Own It, Tracey Jarrett of Lewisham Pensioners’ Forum, and event Chair Jan Shortt, General Secretary of the NPC, for the third NPC webinar this June.
The speakers gave presentations on the state of the UK health and care system in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, and provided their fears over the implications of the government’s new NHS Health and Care Bill. They also discussed what the continuing delay in the government’s much vaunted social care reform means for an already creaking sector.
Jan Shortt, NPC General Secretary, and Chair of the webinar, said: “This was a hugely important discussion for our members, who genuinely fear what the government is planning for the NHS and our social care system.
“Despite government promises that the new Bill - and their long-awaited social care reform - will integrate and transform both services for the better, the NPC has serious concerns about what is being proposed. There are clear signs that, despite their denials they are preparing to sell off NHS services to the private sector and to US investors.”
The NPC also launched their Health & Wellbeing Manifesto at the online event, which aims to uphold the rights of older people to quality health and care services. The manifesto will outline the NPC’s continuing campaign for a National Care Service, free at the point of need for everyone, funded by taxation and working alongside the NHS; and for an independent Commissioner for Older People in England.
Download the press release
UPCOMING NPC ANNUAL CONVENTION WEBINAR:
June 29, 2021 - 10:30 - 12:00
Generations United: Bridging the Age Gap
Denise Burke, Director, United for all Ages.
Judith Ish-Horowicz MBE, Founder Apples & Honey Nightingale Nursery for Toddlers and Older People.
James Lynch, Young RMT member who supports intergenerational initiatives.
Joy France, Pensioner Poet & ‘Battle Rapper.’
Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lbA-GFM8TQaxTkoxVaBKFg