CAMPAIGN FOR A DEMOCRATIC HOSPITAL SERVICE
Surrey
May 1966
SPONSORS:
NORMAN ATKINSON, M.P, MRS. JOYCE BUTLER, M.P, EDWIN PURNESS, G.L.C. (R.A.C.S. POLITICAL PURPOSES COM.), W. J. JEPSON (C.O.H.S.E.), ALFRED LOMAS (L.C.S. POLITICAL COMMITTEE), SIR FRED MESSER, C.B.E., J.P, W. J. OWEN, M.P, L. A. PAVITT, M.P, DONALD STORER, S.C.C. (S.S.C.S. PARTY)
Dear Friend,
There are many people in the Labour Movement who believe that the present system of appointments to Regional Hospital Boards and Management Committees is undemocratic and that the Hospital Service suffers thereby. The Labour Party Conference passed a resolution last October expressing concern at the completely inadequate trade union and co-operative representation on boards of nationalised industries, regional hospital boards, hospital management committees and similar bodies ". The Conference desired the N.E.C. to press the government to remedy this state of affairs.
The members of the above committee consider the only remedy is the implementation of Labour Party policy on this matter contained in the document " National Service for Health ", endorsed at the 1943 Conference. In this document the following words appear " and these authorities (unlike regional organisations during the war) should be democratically elected ". The authorities were Regional authorities to be instituted when a National Health Service was brought into being.
After the National Health Service was established Aneurin Bevan realised the mistake that had been made and in his book " In Place of Fear " says " Election is a better principle than selection ".
We would like to suggest that you consider sending a resolution for the coming Annual Labour Party Conference requesting the Labour Government to introduce legislation to secure democratic election of Hospital Management Committees and Regional Hospital Boards.
If you support the principle, would you kindly indicate this on the attached form and, of course, as money is required to publicise the arguments, we would be grateful for any donations.
Yours sincerely,
ERIC MESSER.
CAMPAIGN FOR A DEMOCRATIC HOSPITAL SERVICE COMMITTEE:
P. BYRNE, R. W BYRON, MRS.D. GOATLEY, R. JONES, SIR FRED MESSER, F. A. (ERIC) MESSER, S. SHAH, D. STORER, G. WALLIS
