Within days of each other in October 2007, but quite independently, a letter appeared in the newspapers and the Dublin Council of Trade Unions passed a special Resolution. The letter, from a series of patient’s groups and medical practitioners, took up the call of the recently and tragically deceased Susie Long for a campaign, supported by the trade unions, for a decent public health service available to all.
Spurred too by the recent health service scandals, and also by the HSE’s new budget squeeze and recruitment embargo, the October meeting of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions (DCTU) agreed to a proposal for just such a campaign by the trade unions that would also involve patients groups and campaigns and the general public.
A sub-committee of the DCTU executive was established to organise a campaign. It met, and received the endorsement of, the Staff Panel of Health trade unions. The campaign went on to receive considerable backing and support from several individual trade unions. The campaign received the endorsement of the Youth Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and they joined the organising committee. The campaign adopted the title Campaign for a Decent Public Health Service.
The committee organised a public meeting in Liberty Hall on 11th February on the theme, ‘ENOUGH! A DECENT PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE NOW!’ About 300 attended and it was addressed by speakers from SIPTU, the Irish Nurses Organisation, IMPACT, Doctors Alliance for Better Healthcare, Patients Together and by Conor MacLiam, husband of Susie Long. (A DVD record of this meeting is available. See also the report in the Irish Times Health supplement, 12th February 2008.)
The meeting agreed on a proposal from the DCTU that there would be a protest march in Dublin on 29th March. A widely supported campaign, including meetings of Volunteers, came together to build for the march. Patients Together, who have been battling for patients interests for some years, joined the organising committee.
The march was a great success, bringing together trade unions, patients’ and hospital groups, concerned medical professionals and community organisations from many parts of the country. (See Indymedia, 29th March and following days, for photographs, and a film clip on www.saveourladys.ie) While the number of marchers, at about seven to eight thousand, was greater than in media reports, there was less than might have been expected given the national anger about the state of the Health Service. However, it represented the activists from, and a new coalition of, those working in, dependent on, and campaigning to defend, the public Health and hospital Services. It showed the basis for an effective campaign. Experience also shows that campaigns are often built up from smaller beginnings and don’t happen overnight.
Following the march a Representative Conference of health unions, Trades Councils, patients’, hospital and doctors’ groups was held in Dublin on 26th April 2008. Among the decisions taken were to have a showing at the Dáil on the 7th May on the occasion of the elevation of the new Taoiseach (which was a successful), to have co-ordinated regional protests on the same day around the country at the end of June and to aim for a large demonstration in Dublin in the autumn.
A great number of local meetings and marches by various groups around the country, especially by the campaigns to defend local hospitals, are taking place. Some have been attended by the Campaign. However local timetables did not allow the co-ordination of local protests on a single day as hope for. Nevertheless the Campaign has contacted the other Trades Councils and will work with any of them and other local groups organising any local efforts.
The main objective now is to have a large gathering in Dublin on Saturday11th October of trade unionists, patient and health campaigners and the general public to demand and end to the crisis in, and privatisation of, the Health Service and for a civilised and fully-funded public Health Service available to all.
Rather improvements in the Health Service, the government have embarked on an even bigger round of cutbacks.
The April Conference reviewed the draft aims of the Campaign and in May the Organising Committee adopted a statement and eight aims (see next post), which have been endorsed by the executive of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions.
In June the Organising Committee decided to change the name of the Campaign to the Public Health Service Campaign. Our campaign wishes to work with all those struggling for a decent public Health Service and to protect the service we have.
Leaflets, posters and car stickers for 11th October will soon be available.
Statement and Aims:
We call for an end to the constant crises in, and underfunding of, our Public Health Service.
In one of the wealthiest countries in the world it is past time we had a fully funded and life-long Public Health Service available to all when needed, and equal and speedy access to emergency and hospital services irrespective of income and place of residence.
We join together in the Public Health Service Campaign to act together to seek through word and agreed action:
1. End the Health budget cutbacks and embargos on staff recruitment.
2. Equal access to hospital services irrespective of income and place of residence; no public hospital closures or downgrades.
3. A fully funded, adequately staffed and life-long Public Health Service available to all.
4. Immediate and major investment in tackling the national emergencies in the Accident & Emergency service and in Hospital Acquired Infections.
5. An immense reduction now in the public waiting lists for diagnosis and for treatment.
6. For the highest standards in diagnosis and in communications with patients.
7. Investment in public hospital beds instead of co-location tax breaks and land grants to for-profit hospitals.
8. A primary care system, based on public service and not-for-profit principles, to allow people receive excellent care in their homes and communities.
