How will privatisation of the NHS affect childbirth?
The UK government wants to privatise the National Health Service. By offering external private companies the opportunity to take contracts and manage key healthcare services within the NHS, we are slowly seeing the NHS turn from an entirely publicly funded institution to a more privatized model.
Undermining and weakening the NHS means that basic health care services in the UK face a very uncertain future. If the NHS is to become fully privatized, people will be denied free health care and will have to begin contributing or paying for key health services or long-term insurance policies.
Each year around 700,000 babies are born in the UK. An uncomplicated birth in the UK costs the NHS £3,000 pounds. If the NHS collapsed, and there was no state support to help cover these expenses, as is the case in many other countries, what would this mean for people who have no other alternative but to give birth completely independently at home?
‘Independent Labour’ explores this future scenario and creates an alternative by providing a Birth Box with all the instruments and instructions you need to fully prepare and give birth unaided at home.