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COVID-19 TTIS Zero COVID and Government Strategy

Our exit from lockdown must be safe and sustainable

The UK has been in lockdown since March 23rd 2020 in an attempt to slow down the spread of COVID-19. Six weeks on the number of new cases per day has begun to decrease and the government and businesses are clamouring to restart the UK economy. We believe that people’s health should come before profit […]

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DiU and Unite Unite Leader statements

A message of solidarity for the National Education Union

Our chair Dr Jackie Applebee has a message of solidarity for the National Education Union.

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COVID-19 DNACPR Government Policy Hospitals and IPC Podcasts Staying safe

Episode 5: DNARs

The co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public, Dr John Puntis, joins the podcast today to discuss the use of DNARs during the coronavirus pandemic.

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BAME & Inequalities COVID-19 Government Policy Hostile Environment

The hostile environment is inconsistent with government commitments on child health and the fight against COVID-19

Charging those with uncertain immigration status for NHS services was introduced as part of Theresa May’s ‘hostile environment’. Non-payment of bills can result in being reported to the Home Office and used as a reason for not being granted settled status. This system remains in place during the Covid-19 pandemic, actively discouraging health care seeking […]

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COVID-19 Schools Staying safe Transmission TTIS

Schools must not reopen without clear evidence and widespread agreement that this is safe

As a paediatrician, I share the grave concerns of nurse Ian Wilson who has two children at school in Lewisham and experience of working with covid-19 infected patients. In an open letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock last week, he pleaded that we were not enrolled against our will in a giant experiment that could […]

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DiU and Unite H&S at work Podcasts

Episode 4: Trade Union Membership

Dr Ron Singer is the vice-president of Doctors in Unite and was the chair during its centenary in 2014. He joins the podcast today to talk about the utility of trade union membership during the coronavirus pandemic.

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COVID-19 Defend the NHS Government Guidelines Privatisation

Government ineptitude has undoubtedly led to many unnecessary deaths – they must be held to account

Richard Horton, respected editor of the medical journal ‘the Lancet’, aptly summed up the current pandemic in the following words: “Coronavirus is the greatest global science policy failure in a generation. Austerity blunted the ambition and commitment of government to protect its people. The objective was to diminish the size and role of the state. […]

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COVID-19 Defend the NHS DiU and Unite H&S at work Hospitals and IPC Privatisation

Doctors in Unite statement on payouts for those who die in service with COVID-19

It is an insult for the government to claim that a life assurance pay out of £60,000 to the families of a health or social care worker who dies of COVID-19 in any way compensates for the loss of life. Despite their protestations that they “will do whatever it takes”, this again shows the scant […]

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COVID-19 Hospitals and IPC Masks PPE

International Workers’ Memorial Day

IWMD this year is unique in falling in the middle of the UK lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of appropriate PPE has thrown millions of public facing workers into harms way as they do not have the right tools to protect themselves from infection. In this environment it is vital that IWMD is […]

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COVID-19 Hospitals and IPC Masks PPE Staying safe Testing Transmission TTIS

Statement on key worker testing and contact tracing

Since the start of the lockdown we have called for contact tracing and widespread testing as the only means to establish the true prevalence of COVID-19. This is what the World Health Organisation urged all countries to do from the very beginning.  We welcome Matt Hancock’s announcement of testing for symptomatic key workers and their […]