Unite questions how Cameron’s ‘substantive’ changes to NHS bill are
going to happen
16 May 2011
David Cameron’s pledge to ensure ‘substantive’ changes to the
NHS ‘reform’ bill should be probed to discover what he actually
means, Unite, the largest union in the country, said today (Monday
16 May).
Unite said that the deeply flawed Health and Social Care bill
should be scrapped and a rtoyal commission set-up to investigate
the future of the NHS.
Unite pointed out the discrepancy between the prime minister’s
‘vision’ and the fact that tens of thousands of NHS jobs had been
or were going to be lost in the near future. Wards are already
closing, waiting lists growing and services being axed or
reduced.
Unite national officer for health, Rachael Maskell, said: ”David
Cameron in his speech today was long on rhetoric, but short of
specifics. This was a PR exercise in verbal gymnastics due to the
political pressures he is under, especially from his Liberal
Democrat allies.
”David Cameron wants it both ways with the Health and Social
Care bill. He said today there will be no privatisation, no ‘cherry
picking’ of services by private companies and no up-front costs for
care, but we question how the prime minister’s ‘substantive’
changes are going to be incorporated into the legislation.
”The bill is so flawed that it should be scrapped. The whole
bill is designed on the premise of Monitor’s role as an economic
regulator and the concept of ‘any willing provider’ i.e. private
companies. If the prime minister is serious about these changes, it
will mean a new bill.
”David ‘I love the NHS’ Cameron is facing both ways – it is an
untenable position, especially as prof. Steve Field, who is leading
the ‘listening’ exercise on the bill, said the reforms were
‘destabilising’.
”What the prime minister actually means by substantive changes
needs to be put under the microscope by health professionals,
patient groups and the general public, as Unite still believes that
fragmentation and privatisation are the underlying themes of the
bill.
”He admits that the NHS is providing some of the best services
it has ever done, so why all the upheaval? There is no logic being
displayed.”
Unite, which has 100,000 members in the health service, believes
that a cross-party royal commission would have the gravitas to look
at the challenges facing the 63-year-old NHS in the decades to
come.
Rachael Maskell said: ”Setting-up a royal commission would be
able to give the future of the NHS the serious consideration it
desperately needs, and would attract cross-party support, and
support from bodies representing health staff, patients and
specialists.
”Such a commission would look at issues such as the changing
demographics; the cost and availability of drugs; and the advances
in technology.
”No one voted for this bill at last year’s general election -
for the most drastic upheaval of the NHS since its inception in
1948. As Nick Clegg said: ‘No bill is better than a bad bill’.“
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information please contact Unite communications
officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
