Unite to campaign against latest privatisation plan for the NHS
2nd June 2009
Unite is launching a campaign against the latest ‘patchwork
privatisation’ of the NHS entitled Transforming Community Services
(TCS).
TCS requires every primary care trust (PCT) in England to draw
up plans by October this year to establish ‘provider’ organisations
separate from their current commissioner roles.
Writing in the June edition of Community Practitioner, Unite’s
lead officer for nursing, Barrie Brown, said that "the TCS mantra
promotes the myth that any provider will be better than a PCT
provider", whether they are social enterprises, or third sector and
private sector options.
"The TCS agenda does not recognise what NHS staff have achieved
or the future risks of having a plethora of different primary care
provider organisations.
"NHS productivity has improved when measured by the growth in
quality and volume of the treatment and care. Quality and volume
have exceeded the increase in funding.’
Barrie Brown said that figures published by the Office for
National Statistics last month (May) demonstrate that productivity
has grown by up to 1.6 per cent a year.
"Why should PCTs in England look outside the NHS to provide
services that are delivered so effectively by themselves and their
staff? I think we should be told."
ENDS
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
For further information, please ring:
Barrie Brown, 07798 531 022; Karen Reay, national officer,
health 07798 531 004; David Fleming, national officer, health 07798
531 013 or Shaun Noble, communications officer (health sector) 020
7420 8951 or 07768 693 940
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