- Conference
- 2006 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 21 December 2005
- Decision
- Carried
Conference expresses its concern at the increasing fragmentation of the NHS and in particular the extended role of the private providers and the Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) programme.
Despite constant referrals from this government to extending patient choice and reducing waiting lists, the ISTC programme in wave one has proved divisive, offered poor value for money and placed increasing pressure on the NHS through the system of cherry-picking procedures whilst leaving the NHS the more complicated operations. It has also raised serious concerns over workforce practices, lack of training and development and poor standards of care.
This conference would like to see proper recognition given to the role of the NHS on waiting times and the positive approaches that were in place that have made the greatest impact in reducing them, in particular areas such as cataract operations.
Conference calls on the Service Group Executive:
1.To ensure the development of a branch toolkit to assist branches and regions who will be affected by the continuation of wave one and the extended wave two IS-TC programme and enable them to be actively involved in campaigning and negotiating, particularly around the choice of provider and the HR Framework
2.To promote the sharing of information and best practice between branches, regions and national office to increase the information database on the private providers and their policies and procedures
3.To develop a pro-active recruiting and organising campaign for staff within the private providers to enable union recognition and increased workforce protection
4.To seek to negotiate the extended roll-out of Agenda for Change for those private providers operating in the ISTC programme under the same principles that this was achieved for other private contractors
5.To campaign for the extended use of the NHS Treatment Centres that will ensure the proper training and development of staff within the Knowledge and Skills Framework and seek the extension of the KSF to apply to all the private providers within the ISTC programme.