You are here: UNISON News > UNISON invites Lansley, Clegg and Cameron to listen to health workers 04/05/11

UNISON invites Lansley, Clegg and Cameron to listen to health workers 04/05/11

Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health has issued an open invitation to Andrew Lansley, David Cameron and Nick Clegg to come and listen to UNISON health members, to hear first hand their serious objections to the Health and Social Care Bill. Cameron, Clegg and Lansley have said that they will "pause, listen, reflect and improve" on the bill and have set up the NHS Future Forum to hear the views of staff and patients. However, the so-called ‘independent' Forum has no trade union representation on it, suggesting that the whole listening exercise is merely a feeble gesture. UNISON is demanding that the Government demonstrate that this is more than just a PR exercise and show that they are willing to ditch their plans.

UNISON knew back in August 2010 that the Government wasn't listening to health workers. That's why the union launched a judicial review to argue that the public wasn't being consulted on radical changes to the NHS. Now, thanks to our campaigning, others are finally starting to take notice. In the last two weeks a number of organisations and professional bodies including the RCN; as well as politicians such as Norman Lamb, personal adviser to Nick Clegg, have spoken out publicly against the bill.

There are indications that the Department of Health is forging ahead regardless and is planning for the bill to go through largely unchanged. A letter sent out by NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson has told NHS organisations in England to prepare for the transition to GP Commissioning and to ‘maintain momentum on the ground'.  You can read the letter here

Time to ramp up the pressure as Government presses ‘pause'.

The hard work of UNISON branches and activists in building opposition to the Bill is now creating serious trouble for the Coalition, however those committed to the fragmentation and privatisation of the NHS are keen to push ahead. That's why we need to use this opportunity to step up the fight in our campaign to defend the NHS. It's time to ramp up the pressure and demand that the ‘pause' is more than just window dressing.

UNISON branches and activists are encouraged to:

  • Attend any local ‘listening events' planned in your area and keep up the pressure on your local MP (especially Lib Dem and Conservative MPs). Resources and guidance to help raise the issue with your MP and challenge the bill are available here
  • Tell the NHS Future Forum exactly what you think of the bill by submitting your views here, before 31 May 2011. Encourage your colleagues and patients to do the same. UNISON will also be submitting a robust national response to the Forum.
  • Order and distribute copies of ‘Enduring Values: UNISON's vision for the future of the NHS' to activists, your local MP and others. The document is a useful campaigning tool. It is available to download hereand branches can order copies via the UNISON website or by emailing stockorders@unison.co.uk and quoting the stock number 2993, quantities and delivery address.
  • Have your say on the next steps of the 38 Degrees campaign, by clicking here

Department of Health publishes guidance for the ‘NHS Transition'

The Department of Health's new guidance ‘Assignment for Transition' outlines the process of aligning primary care trust (PCT) employees during the transition to support the development of emerging GP consortia. The guidance was developed in partnership with the NHS trade unions and employers to ensure that in the event that the Health Bill is passed, the opportunities for NHS staff to work in the emerging GP Commissioning Consortia will be maximised and compulsory redundancies will be avoided as far as possible. A copy of the policy and accompanying guidance can be found on the Social Partnership Forum website here. A set of FAQs will also appear on this website shortly.

In addition, an overarching HR Framework for the NHS transition is expected to be published this week. It will cover staff working in the NHS, Arms Length Bodies and the Department of Health. Keep an eye out for the Framework which will be published on the Social Partnership Forum website: www.socialpartnershipforum.org

UNISON tells Anne Milton MP: ‘Say NO to blood money'

UNISON has written to Anne Milton MP, calling on the minister to come clean over government plans to sell off parts of the blood and organ donation service. The union believes that private companies should not make a profit from blood and organs donated free by the public and has asked the health minister for an urgent meeting to discuss the plans.

In a recent statement to the House of Commons, Anne Milton MP outlined details of four unnamed companies currently being invited to submit proposals - and presumably bids - for IT, Estates, Facilities, Processing, Testing and Logistics. These are core and significant parts of the blood service and UNISON is fighting against plans which could see the service split up and sold off.   For the latest news on the campaign, click here