A personal view of private care homes

In the days after my grandmother’s (or Nan as I called her) funeral on Monday, I have naturally been thinking about the very different places we had visited her during her illness. In stays of varying lengths, she was resident at North Devon District Hospital, a Nursing Home, NDDH, North Devon Hospice and finally the same Home again.

The treatment and care she received at NDDH and the Hospice was second to none. The dedication, compassion, attentiveness and professionalism of all the staff there was outstanding, and me and my family are eternally grateful to them for this. Her (terminal) condition improved slightly at these places, and more importantly so did her comfort and mental well-being.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Nursing Home. I have no complaint with the hard work and good intentions of most of the staff there, in particular a few of the carers who were very helpful and competent. However, the stark truth is that the vast majority of those who work there (and the turnover is quite high) are simply not up to what is a demanding job, physically and mentally. Most of the staff there lacked the skills and experience so clearly evident at the Hospital and the Hospice. Basic things such as the dispensing of drugs and lifting of residents were not done properly. Matters of personal dignity were not dealt with appropriately. Complaints were responded to by some staff by a degree of vindictiveness.

In addition, staffing levels were very low, resulting in the staff there being rushed off their feet, and simply not able to cope with the needs of a variety of highly dependent elderly people. One carer, who subsequently left, said that the owners of the Home had brought lots of agency staff in when an inspection was due, allowing it to pass. The same carer said that she had complained to the management, and the regulator (the Commission for Social Care Inspection), but had been met with a brick wall.

When my mother complained, she was met with a similar reaction, including a particularly callous and high-handed response from a doctor, who perhaps loses some of his objectivity by certain ties to the Home.

What is the answer? Why was the care at the Hospital and Hospice exemplery, and lacking at the Home? Well, the only reason I can think is that the Hospital and Hospice are run as public services, with monies received ploughed into patient care (and in the case of the Hospice, further fundraising efforts). The result is high staffing levels with little turnover, well motivated and trained carers (including not just clinical staff but everyone involved, who all make a difference) and particularly in the case of the Hospice, an environment which calms and reassures.

Unfortunately in the case of the Nursing Home, funds that could be used to advance care are diverted to make considerable money for the owners. The trend in public services at the moment seems to be towards further privatisation. This is simply money taken out of the pockets of patients, of students, of rail and bus passengers and put into the pockets of well off individuals.

Despite our fears, my Nan had a peaceful, painless death, in company. It is my hope that we can make how we care for the most vulnerable– including the mentally ill as well as the elderly and dying – the gold standard for how our society is judged. Are we civilised enough to make this a priority high enough to take out of the hands of profiteering sharks, and into the custodianship of institutions like NDDH and the Hospice? I hope so for all our sakes, most of us will get old and ill one day.

Article by JL of North Devon Socialist Party

Decontamination threat - averted!

The tide of privatisation and marketisation has been halted in Devon, with the news that Northern Devon Healthcare Trust will not be contracting out it's Sterile Supplies work to private company Decon Sciences. This means that the proposal, which was once supported by 10 trusts in Devon, Dorset and Somerset, is now dead.

The health union UNISON ran an excellent campaign, and gathered support from the public as well as healthcare workers. The idea of a postcard sending campaign to the Chief Executive clearly worked. The clinical risks of the venture were spelt out forcefully, and ultimately worked to force the Trust's hand.

In order to try and force it through, the Government promised £1 million to each Trust if they took part. The growing unpopularity of privatisation meant that even with this giant bribe, the move didn't go ahead. The Trusts must now link together to campaign to get this cash, which is obviously available, to fund overstretched services.

While the proposal has been defeated, it is clear that there is still some uncertainty, and the Trust has said that in the 'middle-term' other options might be explored. They didn't state what the 'middle-term' meant, but it may well be that an attempt will be made again to privatise a service provided by NHS staff. We celebrate this victory, but are aware that there may be more battles to come.

Decontamination threat - update

The campaign continues to persuade Northern Devon Healthcare Trust to keep Sterile Supplies services in-house (see 'North Devon District Hospital - Decontamination Threat') and not 'out-source' them to private company Decon Sciences.

Unison South West, Unite and the Royal College of Nursing South West have produced postcards containing a message for the local Trust Chief Executive, on the other side of the cartoon at the top of the post. We have a limited supply of them, so email us (at the top of the page) if you would like some for yourself and your workplace/union branch/college. It is important that there is a groundswell of opinion against this potentially dangerous move in order for it to be defeated.

Please address your postcards, or any other letters etc. to:

Mrs Jac Kelly, Chief Executive, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB.

If you would like to get in contact with North Devon Unison Healthcare Branch please contact Pauline Brennan, the branch secretary. She can be reached at Level 3, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB or by email at northdevonhealth@hotmail.co.uk

Great Torrington School takes steps to becoming a 'Foundation School'

A news release by Devon National Union of Teachers has revealed that Great Torrington School is moving towards 'Foundation Status'. They have produced a leaflet '10 things you need to know', which we are publishing here too. To get in contact and involved with the campaign to keep Great Torrington a community comprehensive school, you can email Dave Clinch, the secretary of Devon NUT, at Devnutsec@aol.com.

FOUNDATION STATUS AT GREAT TORRINGTON SCHOOL

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

The Head and Governors at Great Torrington School are moving the school towards Foundation status. This poses a real threat to comprehensive education at the school. It will effectively become a private enterprise. The process is irreversible. The legislation prevents the school from reverting to Community School status.

1 DEMOCRACY - Under the legislation the governing body will be less democratic and less representative. Governors elected by parents can be replaced by parents appointed by the foundation.

2 REPRESENTATION - The unions will be negotiating on behalf of members with an employer who may adopt different policies than the Local Authority at a future date.

3 LOCAL AUTHORITY ROLE - There will be a reduced level of support, advice and services. Foundation status is detrimental to the quality of education and the work of the local authority.

4 TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Teachers would transfer under Schoolteachers’ Pay and Conditions. The new arrangements could threaten those terms and conditions in the long term. Support staff are immediately vulnerable.

5 ADMISSIONS - Moving away from the Local Authority admissions procedure could lead to selection. We know that this is a real possibility from the actions of other schools which have taken this step. A good local school for all our children in every community means no barriers to entry.

6 TRANSFER OF PUBLIC ASSETS - The Government describes foundation status as a means to ’promote innovation and educational entrepreneurship’. Government has yet to publish any evidence that supports its arguments that the quality of education is enhanced by acquiring foundation status.

7 DIVERSITY - The proposers promote diversity between schools, which will lead in our view to potential divisions based on class and ability for example. The NUT promotes diversity within schools, in other words a good local school which serves the whole community.

8 FUNDING - The school would continue to be funded on the same basis as before, with the budget formula determined by the Schools Forum which has representatives from all school sectors, governors and trade unions. It is organised by Devon County Council’s school finance officers. There would be more financial requirements on the school and administration would increase, but it would not receive extra funding for this. If the school had a budget problem it would have to deal with it and could not expect extra support from the County Council.

9 LAND AND BUILDINGS - All land and buildings are transferred from the Council to the Foundation School Trustees and held in trust for the purposes of the school. Permission must be sought from the Council to sell off assets and the Secretary of State, who may decide that the local authority can share the proceeds. If the school were closed, ownership of the land and buildings would revert to the Council.

10 WILL THERE BE A BALLOT? - Will all interested parties in the local community be given both sides of the argument at the public meeting on Wed 4 June? Will they be ballotted? No indication has been given that a ballot will be conducted.

Devon NUT has offered to underwrite the cost of an independently run ballot of all 'stakeholders' following a debate, putting the arguments for and against foundation status. As yet there has been no response from the Governing Body. There is nothing in the legislation to say that a school cannot have a ballot.

North Devon District Hospital - Decontamination Threat

In NHS hospitals Sterile Supplies departments fulfil a vital function by making sure that surgeons have everything they need during operations, including thoroughly sterilised equipment. Last year the Government falsely claimed (based on distorted interpreatations of relevant information) that these departments weren't meeting the standards of service expected of them.

Of course, you can decide for yourself whether this was deliberate or not, but the New Labour Government's obsession with privatisation seems to override any other consideration. After all, it wouldn't be the first time that they'd eased the path for private healthcare parasites to make good money out of the NHS.

Traditionally, and with good reason, NHS Sterile Supplies Departments are based in hospitals near to where they are needed, operating theatres for example. Now, the Department for Health has plans to replace these services with regional 'super-centres' run by the private sector. In the South West this would be in Taunton.

In April Northern Devon Healthcare Trust board will decide whether to accept the 'in-house' tender from North Devon District Hospital's Sterile Supplies Department or the one from the private sector company in Taunton - Decon Sciences. If the Trust Board accepts the outside tender the contract will be for 20 years. The contract may also include penalty clauses which would hit the Trust with a large amount of money to pay if they decide to pull out of the contract. Even if there are penalty clauses if Decon Sciences don't deliver an acceptable service 20 years is still an enormous commitment, especially if the standard of service isn't up to scratch..

With the existing services, the safety of patients is paramount. In the hands of private companies profit is the main motive, so the danger is always there that the company may cut corners to save money (and so make more money).

The British Orthopaedic Association has expressed its firm opposition to these developments. They are concerned with the threat these changes pose to the quality of care they can give to patients. For surgery, it is essential that sterilised equipment is readily available. If it isn't, there's a danger that the start of an operation will be delayed or unnecessary equipment won't be available if something unexpected happens. Either of these might mean the operation not being as successful as it would normally be. There is also a danger that infection rates might rise.

This isn't just scaremongering. One of these 'super-centres' opened in Birmingham last year. In the 6 months up to September 2007 there were 3,400 decontamination 'clinical incidents'. These included mislabelled, damaged, mixed up and badly packaged instruments. One Birmingham-based consultant pointed out that in one instance they had to open up 7 sets of surgical instruments before they got the properly sterilised ones they needed.

In the case of North Devon, there's an even bigger problem - the hospital is in Barnstaple, the supplier is in Taunton! The danger of greater delays in therefore greatly increased, along with the possibility of the items being contaminated in transit.

As socialists we are particularly concerned about the welfare of the staff at the centre of this storm - through no fault of their own. What protection would they have if Decon got the contract? Well, they get the glorious opportunity to work for Decon Sciences, i.e. move to Taunton or have to commute there. If they decide to stay with North Devon Trust they'll be given other employment, but how suitable or acceptable this might be to them is open to question. Considering there doesn't seem to be any problem with the past standards of service provided by these Sterile Supplies staff, all this must be doubly upsetting and annoying for them.

Whatever the cost might be to keep the existing service at North Devon District Hospital, at least it would mean that the department remained conveniently on-site and under the control of the local Trust. Some other facts also need to be taken into account. What effect would the proposed change have on the welfare of future patients in North Devon needing surgery of some kind? The risk of something going wrong just because instruments aren't properly sterilised or available when needed - is the hospital Trust Board prepared to face the possible consequences? Also, not all of (our!) public money paid to Decon Sciences would just be for services provided - a certain percentage would be given to them just to line the pockets of their shareholders.

Despite pressure from the Government to accept this, these changes aren't inevitable. Plans in Oxford were successfully opposed. Closer to home, the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Trust has declined to use the Taunton 'super-centre'. The Northern Devon Healthcare Trust Board isn't going to make its final decision until early April so there's still time to turn back from going down this potentially serious, risky and dangerous path.

UNISON branch officials in North Devon have been working with the hospital's Sterile Supplies staff to fight these plans. But they need more support. You can help by doing one or more of the following -

- Get your trade union branch to send messages of support to Northern Devon UNISON Healthcare branch. Pauline Brennan is the branch secretary. She can be reached at Level 3, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB or by email at northdevonhealth@hotmail.co.uk.

- Express your opposition to these plans by writing to or emailing the local MP Nick Harvey, your councillors, the Hospital Trust Chief Executive (Mrs Jac Kelly, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB) and your own GP.

Also please write to the North Devon Journal and North Devon Gazette.

No to the privatisation of Exeter University Family Centre!

Yesterday, members of Exeter University Socialist Students' Society (a group who we have close links with, and common members) held a protest against the University's proposed privatisation of the Family Centre, which functions as a popular nursery for staff and students. They were joined by many of the parents who would be affected by the changes. Socialist Party members fully support the campaign, which has also involved the collection of over 2000 signatures on a petition, and those who were able to attended the demonstration, which gained media attention from Westcountry News and local newspapers.

Once again the Students' Guild (the name for the Student Union at Exeter University) has only showed half-hearted opposition to this attack on students and staff, as they did when Exeter Socialist Students led a large campaign against the privatisation of student catering facilites a few years back.

With the support of the Devon Socialist Party, staff and other students (including those at nearby Exeter College) Exeter Socialist Students will continue to fight this privatisation, and any others proposed in the future. If you would like to know more or express your support and solidarity with the campaign, you can contact the President of Exeter Socialist Students, Jim at: maj_mij@hotmail.com

No to fire cuts!

The recently honoured Chief Fire Officer of Devon and Somerset, Paul Young, is pressing ahead with plans to remove full time fire cover from towns across Devon and Somerset, echoing cuts that have had fatal consequences elsewhere, such as Newquay.

Devon Socialist Party completely condemns this dangerous penny-pinching and fully supports the fight of the FBU and all other local campaigns against the cuts. It is obvious to us that the proposed cuts are universally unpopular. We have collected many signatures against the cuts across Devon. Some opponents of cuts try to plead a special case for their town. We have seen this in Exmouth and Ilfracombe. This is not only a strategy that would disastrously undermine the unity that is needed to bin the proposal, but also if successful would only give the town a temporary reprieve until the next round of cuts.

We call for unity across Devon and Somerset against all cuts. We stand against measures which seem to be aimed at opening the Fire Service up for privatisation, which FBU general secretary, speaking at our Socialism 2007 event in November, made clear is top of the Government's agenda for the Fire Service, just as it is for the NHS, education and postal services.

Devon Postal Strike round up

Socialist Party and Socialist Students members visited the picket line at the Mail Centre in Exeter twice at midday and at midnight on Friday. Only 6 workers in this large mail centre scabbed, with the vast majority of workers solid in supporting this strike. When we raised the issue of the need for a new workers' party, pickets expressed firm support for our ideas and are mystified why the leadership continues to fund New Labour, who are behind the privatisation, cuts and job losses in the postal service and public services in general.

In Barnstaple the strike remained solid and the determination of the strikers to continue the fight was evident. Local Socialist Partymembers in North Devon are currently working to try and unite the public sector unions behind the postal workers and againstprivatisation and cuts in the public sector as a whole.

In Teignmouth and Newton Abbot, the determination to see this one out reflected what we saw and heard in Exeter. Socialist Party strike leaflets and 10 copies of the socialist were snapped up as postal workers welcomed a clear explanation of their cause. In conversations there was a higher level of political discussion than in previous strikes with many recognising that New Labour never repealed Thatcher's oppressive anti-trade union laws. Many of picket expressed anger at the media and the bullying attitude of some local managers. Tempers rose with the arrival of 'scab' agency workers at one point management threaten to call the police to arrest the socialist reporter, unfortunately for them they did not know where the picket line ought to be. This is the same management who refuse to give postal workers an opportunity to earn £8 an hour - instead they preferred to use agency workers at £18 an hour of which these receive £6.50 an hour.

Strikers felt that they were in a powerful position with the run up to Christmas. However they recognise that they will face hardship with the lack of funds for their families. During discussions the idea of setting up a South Devon Support Group was brought up. The need to build links with other unions and other members of the public was seen as vital. This would then link up with other groups in Exeter and North Devon.

Recent postal action update from 'the socialist'

PUBLIC SUPPORT for the Communication Workers Union (CWU) action remains strong and in Bideford on 2 August only four out of 80 crossed the lines and scabbed. In Ilfracombe only two went in. And in Barnstaple only five out of 138 workers went in with no slippage in support.
Socialist Party members are helping to distribute CWU leaflets and have been approached by CWU reps to start organising a rally with other unions - NUT, UNISON, FBU - and are looking to contacts with the PCS and RMT. The theme will be 'Public Service not Private Profit'. It is hoped to expand this to other areas.

In the 'English Riveria', Torquay, a very effective leadership has led to a solid 100% turnout of CWU members. There are reports of unoffical 'work to contracted hours' and rows over use of workers' own cars, which has saved this bullying management millions of pounds over the years.
This '100%' was reflected in Newton Abbot. Teignmouth remains at 95% out, with reports coming in of agency workers being used. This apparently is illegal and a waste of time - one agency worker finished their round on a non-strike day at 7.30pm!

Sean Brogan

----UPDATE----

Since this was published in 'the socialist' the strike action has been postponed until September. Worringly, negotiations are taking place in secret behind closed doors, with only Royal Mail bosses Leighton and Crozier and CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes and Deputy General Secretary Dave Ward present. It does seem that Hayes and Ward are prepared to just get a few scraps off of Crozier and Leighton, despite the fact that anything short of complete victory for the postal workers in this struggle would open the doors for privatisation and the break up of the postal service which will lead to further setbacks in the future and weaken the power of the union to campaign and fight for its members.

JL

Devon Socialist Party in this weeks 'the socialist' and postal workers campaign update

Presumably owing to space, only one report of the postal strike from Devon appeared in this weeks the socialist, the weekly newspaper of the Socialist Party. That report, on the strike in Barnstaple, can be found here.

Socialist Party members supported pickets in Plymouth, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Exeter as well as in North Devon.

There was also a report on the successful new members and contacts meeting we held last week. That cannot be found on the website, so we reprint it here:

New members' meeting

The Socialist Party in Devon held a successful new members' and supporters' meeting where Robin Clapp, the South West regional secretary, answered questions on the Socialist Party's programme, our history and ideas.

The first aim of the meeting was to introduce the Socialist Party's programme to our supporters, many of whom, having only met us in the last few months, had never been to our meetings before. Many at the meeting asked why we follow the ideas of Marxism, and how that relates to our day-to-day campaigning.

Secondly, we hoped that this meeting would make the ideas of Marxism more accessible to newer party members. Many people can find the political terminology and theories complicated. We therefore need to take time to discuss and explain and read so all our members understand why and how Marxism gives us the tools to build a socialist alternative to capitalism. Two people decided to join the Socialist Party after the meeting and we sold six copies of the socialist.

Jim Thomson, Exeter Socialist Party

Meanwhile in a new development, the postal workers union, the CWU have announced fresh strike action starting at 7pm on Thursday 12th July. Devon Socialist Party fully supports this action, and will again do everything we can to support the postal workers, politically and practically, in any way we can, in what may become a protracted struggle. The future of tens of thousands of jobs, the pay and conditions for those who keep their jobs, and our postal service is at stake.

Postal strike - brief update

This is only a brief update on today's postal strike, there will be a more detailed report soon, when we have all reports in from Socialist Party members who have supported the postal workers across Devon, from Barnstaple in the north to Plymouth in the south to Exeter in the east, and plenty of places in between.

Generally though, the strike was near solid, and in Newton Abbot it was 100% out. The atmosphere on the picket line was determined and generally there was a good spirit. Our leaflets, copies of the Socialist and support were well received, and the postal workers can be sure we are behind them 100%. Speaking to some of the strikers, it is clear that while they are angry over the 'pay rise' of 2.5% they have been offered (which, with inflation standing at 5%, loss of early start bonuses and strings attached including mass cuts and 40,000 job losses, has got to be one of the measliest 'rises' ever offered), the main reason behind the strike was the privatisation and commercialisation of a public service.

Support for the strike from the general public was high (and very enthusiastic), proving once again that ordinary people can see through the lies, distortions and manipulations of the government and Royal Mail management.

It is not thought that managers working today had much of an impact on the effectiveness of the strike, being collectively described by one worker as 'about as efficient as a sponge in the Sahara desert'!

Concrete steps will now be taken in North Devon to forge public sector unity, by arranging a join meeting of all the public sector unions to move forward, campaign and fight together.

Devon Socialist Party supports the postal workers

With the news that postal workers are set to stage a 24 hour strike on Friday 29th June, the Devon Socialist Party would like to express our solidarity with them and the CWU (Communication Workers' Union), and pledge our support for the action they are taking. On the day of the strike, Socialist Party members in Devon (and elsewhere) will give practical and political support to those taking industrial action.

The reasons behind the action (the 'yes' vote was a resounding 77%) are primarily pay and the direction of the Royal Mail/Post Office.

Justifiably, the CWU think that postal workers should earn the national average wage and that the Royal Mail should not renege on previous agreement. The CWU are also opposed to the privatisation, fragmentation and commercialisation of the postal service that has occurred over these past years and is set to continue. Commercialisation and privatisation is the reason why post offices are closing, conditions at work for postal workers are worsening, pay is being squeezed, and the second post for of the day has been abolished.

Devon Socialist Party calls for the demands of the CWU to be met in full, and for the privatisation and commercialisation of the postal service to be stopped and reversed. Postal services need to be run by a public sector body, democratically run by postal workers and the public at large. No more Post Offices should be closed and any villages or towns lacking a Post Office should be provided with one, even as an adjunct to a local shop.

The CWU has produced a leaflet countering the misinformation coming from the Government and the Royal Mail, which is uncritically reported by the capitalist media. It can be found here.

The Socialist Party leaflet (produced before a date was named for strike action), outlining our views in a little more depth, can be found here.