Creeping NHS privatisation in north west under attack
19th May 2009
The creeping privatisation of the NHS – with adverse knock-on
effects for patients - is on the march in the north west of
England, Unite, the country’s largest union, has warned.
The latest focus of concern are plans by the Heywood, Middleton
and Rochdale Primary Care Trust (PCT) to out-source pulmonary
disease and diabetic foot care services.
Unite is ‘gravely concerned’ by an ‘invitation to tender’
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Service on behalf of the PCT.
Unite’s health coordinator in the north west, Gary Owen, has
written to the PCT’s chief executive, Trevor Purt, calling for the
trust ‘to abandon this apparent outsourcing’ of the community
service for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and also
the diabetic foot service.
Gary Owen said: "Our union, in common with the majority of the
public, vigorously opposes privatisation of the NHS.
"Privatisation of key NHS services, whether by outsourcing,
movement into arms’ length organisations or social enterprises,
will operate to the detriment of NHS staff who then face threats to
their hard-earned pensions, NHS terms and conditions of employment,
and job security.
"Moreover, we firmly believe that privatisation, in its various
forms, operates to the detriment of patients. Healthcare cannot be
reliably provided for profit, especially to working class people
who would have little access to top quality healthcare in a private
health system.’
Unite will be holding a lobby of the PCT’s board meeting at its
Rochdale headquarters tomorrow (Wednesday 20 May).
Recently, Unite exposed plans by the East of England Strategic
Health Authority to employ ‘a head of healthcare market management’
with an annual salary of up to £77,000.
Unite assistant general secretary for the public sector, Gail
Cartmail, said: "The lavishly paid East of England NHS ‘marketing’
job, which is now followed by Rochdale’s march down the
privatisation road are only the tip of the iceberg.
"Unite will be monitoring and campaigning against the growing
privatisation of the NHS nationally, which will have an adverse
affect to services, patients and clients, and dedicated
staff."
ENDS
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
For further information, please ring: Gary Owen, regional
officer, Unite on 07909 926934 or Gail Cartmail on 07768 931
305 or
David Fleming, national officer, health, Unite on 07798 531013
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