Level of concern over NHS ‘reforms’ is becoming deafening, says
Unite
3 March 2011
The crescendo of concern over the ill-judged NHS reforms is
becoming deafening, Unite, the largest union in the country, said
today (Thursday 3 March).
Unite was commenting as the think tank, the Kings Fund, said
that government plans to give more power over NHS decision making
in England to GPs could make hospital reform difficult, and an
online survey for the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested
that the vast majority of doctors are not convinced that potential
benefits of the government’s plans for the NHS in England outweigh
the risks.
Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, said: ”The evidence is
mounting at an alarming rate from respected health organisations
that the so-called reforms outlined in the Health and Social Care
bill are ill-judged and badly thought out.
”The bill was cobbled together by the Department of Health in
just six weeks after last May’s general election – and the speed
that it was done is now revealed in the large flaws in the
legislation currently being considered by MPs.
”Only yesterday it was revealed that family doctors could be set
for windfall profits under this bill, as GP practices could be
partially floated on the stock market. Patients expect their GP to
be reading The Lancet, not the Financial Times!
”The crescendo of concern about the ‘reforms’ proposed by health
secretary, Andrew Lansley, is becoming deafening.
”Conservative and Liberal MPs were elected on publicly stated
pledges that they would protect and cherish the NHS. Instead the
coalition has come up with a menu of job cuts to NHS staff reported
to be more than 50,000, and legislation which will allow private
companies easy access to take over lucrative NHS contracts.“
Unite, which has 100,000 members in the health service, is
fundamentally opposed to the privatisation of the NHS and wants the
coalition to radically re-think its health policy.
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information, please contact Unite communications
officer, Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
