Shropshire’s Green county councillors have sought assurances from the health secretary that the NHS is returned to full public ownership.

Shropshire’s four Green county councillors have sought assurances from health secretary Wes Streeting that the NHS is returned to full public ownership once private health providers have been used to clear the treatment backlog.

In a letter copied to the five MPs whose constituencies fall within the NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin catchment area, Shropshire Green Group leader Cllr Duncan Kerr said: “The people of Shropshire have made it very clear that, as well as being free at the point of use, the NHS should be publicly owned, managed and staffed.”

The move follows a survey by Shropshire Green Party’s ‘Healthy Greens’ in which 92% of respondents stated a desire for the NHS to remain publicly owned. The survey was conducted in 11 market towns including Ludlow, Oswestry,  Bridgnorth and Church Stretton.

Profiteering

Olly Rose, Green Councillor for Castle ward on Oswestry Town Council, added: “Many people said that profiteering from ill health or injury is repugnant and immoral.

“This is why we have jointly written to Wes Streeting, so he fully understands the strength of feeling in Shropshire towards our precious yet pressured NHS.”

Julian Dean, Green Shropshire Councillor for Porthill, pointed to the “persistent failure” to adequately assess the volume of health and social care needs, leading to the under-provision of clinicians and treatments in hospitals and health facilities.

“People don’t choose to be ill or injured and clinicians are the ‘gatekeepers’ that match patients’ needs to diagnoses and treatments,” he said. “There are insufficient numbers to meet either heath or social care needs.

“Shropshire Council is responsible for local public health services, but these must be adequately funded and extended to ensure fewer people suffer preventable conditions and thus reduce demand on our NHS."

Paying twice for healthcare

The increasing reliance on private healthcare raises worrying echoes of pre-NHS days, believes Shropshire Council’s Green Group leader.

“Before 1948, many people had to sell family items to pay to see a doctor or receive life-saving treatment, or just go without,” Cllr Kerr said. “Today, private patients pay twice, through their treatment fees and their taxes.

“We are constantly campaigning to increase the supply of care to meet patient need."

Unfair funding gap

Shropshire Green Party is also urging the government to recognise the extra cost of providing healthcare services to rural populations. Shropshire receives 6% less funding per person than the national average for NHS services and 35% less for public health.

This compares with affluent Kensington & Chelsea, which receives 19% more per person than the national average and an eye-watering 156% more for public health.

“We’re asking the government to acknowledge that Shropshire’s health and social care services need more funding,” added Cllr Kerr. “We live in the sixth wealthiest economy in the world. This is completely affordable."