Treatment without prejudice We believe that all people are of equal value. Whether old or young, rich or poor, disabled or not disabled, we all share a common humanity. This was true before the coronavirus pandemic, and it remains true today. Coronavirus is affecting different people in different ways. Many have a mild illness, but […]
In recent weeks we have among others seen Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and members of the Royal family (all of whom it’s safe to guess have never used the NHS) joining in the public applause for key workers. Additionally, there have been a number of structural changes and commitments to increased funding that make it […]
Faced with an NHS and social care system ill prepared for the coronavirus pandemic, a call went out for 250,000 volunteer community support workers to help up to 1.5 million people who have been asked to shield themselves from infection because of underlying health conditions. The response has been staggering, with more than 400,000 coming forward. […]
As the number of cases of COVID-19 in the UK continues to rise it has become increasingly clear that there is a dire shortage of appropriate PPE for health and social care workers. There have been repeated assurances from the government that there is plenty of appropriate PPE. However it is widely reported from the […]
The challenge of coronavirus requires a radical response. We will overcome this virus, but current legislation falls short – much more must be done. We demand: Full PPE This must include FFP3 masks, visors/protective spectacles, fluid resistant gowns with sleeves and gloves for all health and social care workers dealing with patients and service users […]
Like many people in the UK, I live in a house of multiple occupation (HMO). We make an improvised family of five. Three of us work in the NHS: one junior doctor on a geriatric ward, one junior doctor on a psychiatric dementia ward (me) and one working in administration. The other two are finishing […]
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COVID-19: A GP’s Perspective
As I write we are at the beginning of the pandemic in the UK. We still have relatively small numbers of cases but they are steadily increasing along with, tragically, associated deaths. There is a very fine line between not fuelling mass panic, which is unhelpful, but also in taking sensible precautions. Public health messages […]
The benign intent of the government in its request that citizens self-isolate to protect others against spreading COVID-19 is not in question. But national and international crises can and have been used to justify an erosion of human rights. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) explains that “man-made conflicts, natural […]
In response to Covid-19, Doctors in Unite urges the government to:
• Extend day-one sick pay to those on zero hours contracts, in the “gig-economy” and self-employed members of society
• Ensure that workers are not under pressure to attend work while they are unwell and may inadvertently pass on the disease: both financially and in regards to staffing.
• Allow the NHS to requisite private health care facilities to accommodate effective Covid-19 treatment and quarantine provision if needed
Given the chronic underfunding of the NHS, it is no surprise that rationing appeals to commissioners as a way of limiting expenditure. However, this goes against the NHS Constitution, which establishes that “the NHS provides a comprehensive service, available to all” and “access to NHS services is based on clinical need, not an individual’s ability […]
Doctors in Unite 