This disastrous decade for the health service

Paul Harper has worked for the supply organisation of the NHS for the last 18 years. He told Socialist Worker, “I’m a Labour Party member and I thought that Labour would improve the NHS.

“Instead things are getting worse. Last year the service that I provide was privatised and my job was sold to the multinational DHL.

“We have a system at work now where people get negative points if they are off sick. I know people who take annual leave when they are sick in order to avoid getting the points.

“People often see new buildings and equipment and think, great. But often these things are bought under PFI schemes. The NHS will pay over the odds for them for many years to come while private firms make healthy profits.”