Liverpool Health Feature Archive

On Monday 2nd of March 2015, there were demonstrations in over 30 towns and cities around the UK (plus Toronto) against Maximus, the US based health insurance corporation that has taken over the contract from the French IT Company Atos to administer the Work Capability Assessment on behalf of the Department Of Work And Pensions. Atos announced its exit from the contract in early 2014 following an intense period of direct action against the company by groups such as Disabled People Against the Cuts.

The day of action was timed to coincide with the first working day of the new contract, with the spotlight turned on Maximus as well as the continued use of Work Capability Assessments and the life-threatening consequences of the ongoing government attacks on the sick and disabled.

In central London, to the chorus of "David Cameron is a W*****" (YouTube) activists from DPAC hit the streets, taking direct action to block traffic and at one stage bringing traffic to a standstill on Victoria Street in the shadow of Big Ben.

The demonstrations across the UK on the streets were complemented with an online Twitter campaign using the hashtags #Maximarse and #ScrapWCA, the latter trending for a number of hours. This gave the opportunity for those unable (including through sickness and disability) to make it to demonstrations to vent their anger and frustation around the Work Capability Assessment and at a government hell-bent on targeting the sick and disabled.

On the Newswire: Maximarse is more than a farce | Mental Health Resistance Network Statement | Wrexham joins National Day of Protest Against WCA & Maximus

Other links: Johnny Void | Video: Maximarse the Movie (YouTube)

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The vegan food fayre, held at Liverpool's social centre Next To Nowhere, drew the crowds last Saturday. Read more >>

Only two players have been produced by the Liverpool FC youth academy since they moved to Kirkby in 1998. That's a shocking record! It can't just be a coincidence that the academy is near to a chipboard factory that pumps out tonnes of cancer-causing chemicals every year. A school, public playing fields and houses are also easily within range of Sonae's pollution. The company have been in and out of Huyton Magistrates Court, but tiny fines and official indifference have left them free to cause all the disease and death they like. Read more >>

Hospital Trusts on Merseyside are beginning to set out their plans for cuts in the National Health Service. The overwhelming majority of people rely on the NHS for healthcare, so the changes being made seem set to threaten the lives of many, and severely reduce the quality of life for many more. The only people to benefit will be shareholders in private companies.

Liverpool Indymedia reports: FTSE 100 company to 'help' run Liverpool hospital | Wirral NHS Cuts Boost Private Sector | Mersey Ambulance Staff Fight Employers' Hypocrisy | More McHospitals for Merseyside! | Patients Must Travel Further To See GPs | Private GP Surgery criticised in Liverpool | Patients Dying To Balance Books in Southport and Ormskirk|

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Public meeting in Liverpool calls for local campaign to save NHS services.

“The vast majority of people in the NHS are appalled at what’s going on. There’s £1 billion+ going into PFI (Private Finance Initiative) schemes on Merseyside, but there are always going to be cuts in services under this type of scheme. The drive to privatise the NHS is all about Blair’s flirtation with Bush, and the market economy.”

So said Dr Alex Scott-Samuel, speaking at the ‘Keep Our NHS Public’, a meeting of between 60-70 people held at the Friends Meeting House, Liverpool, on Thursday 24th November.

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