THE NHS was built on the principle of universal access to publicly provided healthcare according to need. Nye Bevan’s In Place of Fear describes the transformative introduction of the NHS: “A free health service is a triumphant example of the superiority of collective action and public initiative applied to a segment of society where commercial principles are seen at their worst.”

Since Thatcher, administrations and corporate interests have colluded to reconfigure the NHS, working to commercial principles, despite the best endeavours of its workers. This 40-year corporate onslaught culminated in the sub-NHS provision we see today: “new models of care,” fake doctors, fake A&Es, understaffing, bed cuts, outsourcing and PFI. The devastating impact of this erosion of care is described in the 2025 RCN report, On the Front Line of Britain’s Corridor Care Crisis.

We have, systematically and relentlessly, moved from public provision and service to enabling corporate health. We have witnessed hollowing out, deskilling and then outsourcing throughout the public sector. Across education, energy, transport and mail, state institutions were systematically looted by capital interests.