UNISON, the UK’s largest health union, is today calling for a cap on the use of the private sector in the NHS, to be included in the NHS Constitution. The call comes following news that the Government is calling a halt to six planned Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) schemes and the scrapping of the expensive, underperforming West Midlands project. However, the go ahead has been given to a number of new private sector operations, renewing fears of more money going into private companies at the expense of the NHS.
Karen Jennings, UNISON Head of Health said: