UNISON calls on Government to listen to health unions 19/01/2012

UNISON has welcomed the support of the Royal College of Nurses (RCN) and Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in opposing the Government's Health and Social Care Bill, one year on from its launch.

The UK's largest union has long campaigned for the Bill to be dropped and has highlighted the many hidden dangers. The rise in the cap on private patients being treated in NHS hospitals to almost half (49%) will push NHS patients to the back of the queue, and accompanying policies such as Any Qualified Provider will both lead to a much greater role for private companies. The Bill will also enable the Secretary of State to wash his hands of responsibility for the NHS.

UNISON's Head of Health, Christina McAnea said:

"We welcome the RCN and RCM's opposition of the Health Bill. We have been campaigning for this deadweight bill to be dropped since its launch and this support can only strengthen our campaign.

"Nurses, midwives, professional bodies and patients are all warning that this Bill is a danger to the NHS as we know it. This Bill will lead to fragmentation, instability and inequity in the NHS. It is wasting billions of taxpayers' money in pointless bureaucracy, as health workers lose their jobs, waiting lists grow, and operations are cancelled.

"The Government's plans are fatally flawed. They must listen to hard-working NHS staff and we will fight to protect this national treasure and one of the most cost effective systems in the developed world. "

UNISON is opposed to the Bill because it:

Abolishes the private patient income cap, meaning NHS patients are likely to have to wait longer for treatment, endangering the principle that access is based on need rather than ability to pay.

Brings wholesale competition into the NHS with the regulator able to enforce competition law in the style of the utilities regulators - integration and cooperation are banished to the margins.

Includes accompanying policies such as Any Qualified Provider, which will lead to a much greater role for private companies, despite scandals in other sectors demonstrating the folly of such an approach.

Allows the Secretary of State to wash his hands of responsibility for the NHS, with implications for the maintenance of comprehensive, free and consistent NHS services.

Attempts to address transparency and involvement in the new system are too weak.

Fails to value NHS staff by undermining pay and bargaining structures, and providing too little on comprehensive education and training.

Includes an unnecessary overhaul for the regulation of social workers.