CUTS and privatisation, caused by constant rounds of restructuring, have fragmented the NHS to the point that it is dying on its feet. This is manifested by the dangerously low levels of experienced staff which leads to patient neglect and premature deaths. The gateways into the NHS are being shut for tens of thousands requiring medical treatment.

The catastrophe unfolding across the NHS is no accident — it has been deliberately designed and implemented by successive governments — governments determined to reduce overall state expenditure on health and distance themselves from the historic obligation to provide free healthcare to the population.

Where the NHS is concerned, it serves no good purpose to erase history just because it might be politically convenient to do so. Understanding the whole history of the NHS, why it was founded, how it worked, how and why it is being systematically destroyed by stealth, is essential in the struggle to fight to preserve what is left of a free, publicly provided health service.  

The attacks did not begin 12 years ago, they started decades ago, as successive governments enabled the free market to get a grip on the health service.  

NHS “reform” was planned under Margaret Thatcher and enthusiastically rolled out by Tony Blair. Staff and the public were sold the lie that private investment in public services was necessary and that anything publicly provided was lumbering, old fashioned, inefficient and in need of streamlining and modernisation.  

An entire costly bureaucracy developed around the tendering and administration of contracts as outsourcing took off. Hospitals were built under the Private Finance Initiative at an extortionate cost to the public purse.

After the financial crash of 2008 there was constant restructuring in the large mental health trust where I worked which shook the organisation to its core. “Service redesign,” as it was called, had an adverse impact on patients. Staff were moved from pillar to post and there was both down-banding and de-skilling of staff. Training budgets were slashed and the skill mix was driven down for the teams delivering services to patients.

Against this backdrop, clinical staff found ourselves emotionally manipulated by managers who were themselves driving harmful cuts to patient care.  

The entire burden of ensuring patients were safe and cared for was shifted onto the staff as the rug was being slowly pulled from under us. Staff responded by skipping breaks, working overtime for free, going off sick with stress or leaving to find that things were just as bad or even worse in another organisation.  

No NHS trust, staff member, patient or carer in this country has escaped the harmful impact of toxic policies handed down by successive governments. Policies that are deliberately designed to hand healthcare over to the private sector and have the population reliant on an insurance-based model of healthcare provision.

It is clear that the trajectory for the NHS is downwards, so staff and campaigners have little choice left but to fight for it or lose it entirely. If there are any NHS staff labouring under the false notion that things will improve for themselves or their patients any time soon, they are gravely mistaken.

The same choice facing every worker in this country is facing NHS staff too: either leave the job and risk ending up in a similar or worse job, or stay, fight back and make our working lives better.

Multiple NHS unions are balloting for strike action. The GMB indicative ballot is open and running until September 27 online and in workplaces. All NHS staff have a rare opportunity to get together collectively and use their trade unions to have their voices heard.  

If NHS staff vote to strike in large numbers, they will be supported by everyone, including other union members.  

The GMB is encouraging NHS staff to join, to step up as reps and properly organise your hospitals and community teams.  

Why? Because organising works, but it is not yet widespread in hospital trusts due to successful methods of resistance by NHS management. Having worked in the NHS for almost three decades in a wide variety of settings, I know that NHS managers will only sit up and listen when confronted with the power of large numbers of unionised and organised workers ready to take action.

The stakes are high and the pressure is on. All of the major political parties have an established track record of taking a wrecking ball to the NHS. The NHS unions are slowly moving in the right direction and standing up for staff and services — but more staff need to join unions, engage with unions and get active.  

Going on strike is now essential and legitimate to protect clinical staff, patients and the NHS for the future.

Helen O’Connor is GMB Southern regional organiser — Twitter @HelenOConnorNHS.