The Socialist Health Association (SHA, called the Socialist Medical Association before May 1981) is a socialist medical association based in the United Kingdom. It is affiliated to the Labour Party as a socialist society.

History

The Socialist Medical Association was founded in 1930 to campaign from within the Labour Party for a

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

in the United Kingdom and absorbed many of those who had been active in the State Medical Service Association, which collapsed as a result. The inaugural meeting was convened by Charles Wortham Brook, a doctor with links to the Labour Party who was a member of the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

(LCC) during the period when the LCC developed its municipal hospitals. Brook was the first Secretary of the Association, remaining in office until 1938. Many of those involved in the Association volunteered for the Spanish Medical Aid Committee in the Spanish Civil War. Somerville Hastings was founder President of the Socialist Medical Association (SMA) 1930–1951. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the First World War, followed by work as an aural surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital. He was a Member of the London County Council for fourteen years. In 1945 there were nine members of the association in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

. They hoped to influence the plans for the development of the National Health Service (NHS). The Association had held a Health Workers’ Convention at

Conway Hall The Conway Hall Ethical Society, formerly the South Place Ethical Society, based in London at Conway Hall, is thought to be the oldest surviving freethought organisation in the world and is the only remaining ethical society in the United King ...

, London in 1943, which was attended by health workers and union representatives. A further event, also at

Conway Hall Ethical Society The Conway Hall Ethical Society, formerly the South Place Ethical Society, based in London at Conway Hall, is thought to be the oldest surviving freethought organisation in the world and is the only remaining ethical society in the United King ...

, took place in 1946, delivering 14 lectures and an exhibition as part of a Health Services Week. There were communications with

Aneurin Bevan Aneurin "Nye" Bevan PC (; 15 November 1897 – 6 July 1960) was a Welsh Labour Party politician, noted for tenure as Minister of Health in Clement Attlee's government in which he spearheaded the creation of the British National Healt ...

but his relations with the group were not particularly close. The Association was keen to press for doctors to be salaried and work full-time in health centres. They wanted teaching hospitals to be integrated into the regional hospital organisations and criticised the segmentation of the service as a barrier to integrated services. The first anniversary of the NHS was celebrated by the Association with a meeting of 300 attendees at

. The association was active in campaigns against NHS charges, smoking and

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in w ...

, and for adequate nutrition, the establishment of health centres and salaried general practitioners. It is associated with the campaigns against health inequality. It attempted to build an international movement. In October 1962 David Stark Murray went to the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the ...

to talk to students about the fight for socialized medicine. It changed its name in May 1981 to the Socialist Health Association to reflect increased interest in

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

. It is a socialist society affiliated to the Labour Party. It was active in the campaign against the

Health and Social Care Act 2012 The Health and Social Care Act 2012c 7 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provided for the most extensive reorganisation of the structure of the National Health Service in England to date.'' BMJ'', 2011; 342:d408Dr Lansley's M ...

. Alex Scott-Samuel, a public health physician and retired lecturer in public health at the

University of Liverpool , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...

, was elected Chair in 2017 and held the position until 2020. On behalf of the Association he proposed a resolution at the 2017 Labour Party Conference confirming Labour's opposition to

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization ...

policies for the NHS in England and calling for the reinstatement of the NHS "as per the NHS Bill (2016-17)". It was carried unanimously. The SHA is currently campaigning against the Health and Social Care bill which it views as a huge threat to socialised healthcare. The current Chair 2021 is Mark Ladbrooke, a former union convenor at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Publications

*The Socialist Doctor 1932–1937 *Medicine Today and Tomorrow 1937–1967 *Socialism and Health 1970–2016

Notable members

References

External links

*
Socialist Health Association Scotland websiteHull History Centre : Socialist Health Association Archive
{{Authority control 1930 establishments in the United Kingdom Labour Party (UK) socialist societies Medical associations based in the United Kingdom Medical and health organisations based in England British health activists Socialist organisations in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1930

History

Publications

Notable members

References

Further reading

External links