- Conference
- 2011 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 21 October 2010
- Decision
- Carried
In 1945 the UK national debt was 215% of GDP – however the government chose to invest in public services and we saw the creation of the national health service. In April 2010, the UK national debt was 71% of GDP, and yet the coalition government has used this as an excuse to try and dismantle the NHS.
Conference is appalled at the coalition government’s proposals for a further, destabilising reform of the national health service which will see strategic health authorities and primary care trusts abolished, to be replaced with GP consortiums who will be free to buy in services from private companies.
Conference believes that the proposals are driven by ideology rather than a desire to improve patient care, and that the lack of any meaningful consultation, as well as the extreme haste with which the proposals are being driven, will result in chaos.
The quality of service provision is almost certain to deteriorate – specialist services or treatments for those with rare or complex conditions will be fragmented; there are likely to be greater geographical variations in service; waiting times, particularly for cancer patients, may lengthen.
More services will be privatised, despite a proven record of failure in the NHS and a clear conflict of interest in the profit-driven private sector.
Despite the government’s assurances that the NHS is safe, in real terms the NHS faces huge budget cuts in the face of an ever-ageing population.
The impact on women will be immense:
1)The vast majority of NHS employees – nursing staff, cleaners, admin and clerical workers – are women. Often these women are in low-paid, part time jobs, and evidence shows that where jobs are privatised or outsourced, terms and conditions suffer;
2)So called social enterprises provide services such as community nursing on time limited contracts, meaning staff have no stability and that equality proofed terms and conditions, negotiated through Agenda for Change, will be lost;
3)Women carry the burden of caring responsibilities, so where services fail, it will be women who step in to close the gap;
4)Specialist women’s services – including fertility, maternity and abortion services may fall foul of the postcode lottery;
5)Reforms to alter the funding of cancer care and to extend personal health budgets could lead to pressure for patients to “top-up” their free NHS care with their own money. Low paid women, older women on low pensions or those with already stretched family commitments will be unable to afford the care they need.
Conference therefore calls upon the national women’s committee to work with the healthcare service group and regional women’s committees to support the UNISON campaign to defend our NHS.