UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today accused Health Secretary, Andrew
Lansley of selective hearing over his response to the NHS Future Forum’s (FF)
recommendations.
“Far from implementing the core recommendations on competition, the
Health Secretary is just ignoring the parts that he doesn’t wants to hear”,
warned Christina McAnea, UNISON’s Head of Health.
The NHS Future Forum announced today it is continuing its listening exercise,
but the union is calling on the Government not to just listen, but to take
action over fears raised by NHS staff, patients, health unions and the public.
Christina McAnea, went on to say:
“The Future Forum said that Monitor should not be an economic regulator and
its primary concern should be the quality of patient care. Andrew Lansley has
not adopted this recommendation and Monitor’s main objective is to enforce
competition law paving the way for privatisation.
“The Forum also recommended that the Bill should include reference to
promoting collaboration and co-operation in the NHS that is still sadly
missing from the Bill. The NHS benefits hugely from open sharing of ideas and
innovations adopting a ‘commercial confidentiality’ approach will be a major
step backwards for patients.”
Critically, the private patient income cap was not looked at by the Future
Forum, but its removal will lead to private patients jumping to the top of NHS
waiting lists. However, the FF lead, Professor Field, said that it should stay but
be reviewed.
Christina McAnea, said:
“The private patient income cap must stay. At a time when hospitals are
struggling to meet the Government’s demands for £20bn in so-called
efficiency savings, they will be sorely tempted to prioritise private paying
patients. It is vital that we preserve an NHS based on need not on ability to
pay.”
Ends