We are publishing here the following was the full text of the composite resolution on the NHS and Social Care, in the name of Sutton and Cheam CLP and the Socialist Health Association. It is important to publicise the resolution to show that despite reverses on constitutional issues, on political questions, the conference is still overwhelmingly on the left:
Covid-19 has shown public service workers at their best and the Tory government at its worst.
Eleven years of austerity means inequality was on the rise when lockdowns started and has compounded the pandemic’s impact.
Only a Labour Government will be ambitious enough to tackle the country’s public health challenges and inequality together.
It must prioritise:
*Mental health services
*Health services for trans and non-binary people.
*Ending new cases of HIV by 2030
This Party recognises the urgency of establishing a democratically accountable health and care service free to all at the point of use and funded by progressive taxation.
Conference notes:
*While Covid-19 can affect anyone, it disproportionately impacts those worst affected by health inequalities such as the victims of sexism, racism, ableism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
*11 years of Conservative Government have left NHS waiting lists at the highest on record.
*The NHS in England is rapidly being reorganised into 42 regional Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).
*ICSs claim to be integrated partnerships between the NHS, local authorities and others, including the independent sector, but the plans side-line local authorities, threatening the future integrity of social care and reducing local accountability. These will strengthen the role of private companies, including US health insurance corporations, in the NHS.
*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.
*The Tories have failed the LGBT+ community:
Coming out- , hatred and shame mean LGBT+ people are more likely to present with mental health issues; most are preventable and all should be supported.
For trans and non-binary people prolonged periods of lockdown have caused trauma for those who cannot be their true self at home. The backlog of existing services is a scandal and new services promised by the government are not forthcoming.
Conference demands:
*That the Party will pursue the introduction of legislation to bring about a universal, comprehensive and publicly provided NHS, fit for the 21st century.
That the Party will also seek to ensure that: commissioning arrangements for social care prioritise and encourage public provision of services.
*To actively alert local councillors and MPs to the threat posed by Integrated Care Systems and the dramatic loss of local accountability.
*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.
*That the Parliamentary Labour Party call for an immediate halt to the roll-out of ICS.
*To work closely with the Trade Union movement to progress our joint opposition to the introduction of Integrated Care Services as defined by NHS England.
*To oppose 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.
*To oppose a new Bill that would remove the legal duty of NHS commissioners to provide hospital medical services, would put private providers in the driving seat of our health service, and reward reduced service provision & lower pay.
*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.
*Conference must prioritise:
*Only an opt-out approach to testing in the NHS and the scaling up of at-home testing will mean HIV diagnoses in the UK become a thing of the past.
*The pay and conditions of staff across health and care with an emphasis on fair and equal pay, training, skills development, and career progression.
*Conference demands that the NHS remains the most cost-efficient health service in the developed world, largely because it’s still mostly publicly provided by directly employed staff, and not by private providers.
