UNISON urges caution over health and social care report

Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health, has urged “caution” in response to today’s King’s Fund report on the Future of Health and Social Care in England.  

She said “This report correctly points out that doing more of the same is unlikely to deliver sustainability, particularly for social care.  In addition the idea of charging patients for going to GPs and A&E goes against everything the NHS stands for.”

The report echoes UNISON’s call to ring-fence health and social care budgets given the number of councils forced to make cuts as a result of Government austerity measures. It makes clear that social care is at crisis point as a result of being run into the ground by constant underfunding over many years, a situation which has been made worse since 2010. 

The union urged caution saying “it is right to raise concerns that personal health budgets will lead to patients who can afford to, topping them up with their own money – creating a two-tier health system.”

Christina McAnea went on to say: 

“There is certainly a need for greater integration of health and social care to help the increasing number of patients who are falling through the gaps.

“We agree that if funding of NHS through taxation were to end, it would mean that many people would go without healthcare because they simply could not afford it. Proper funding through increased inheritance tax, death duties and VAT on private health care would be far preferable.

“The report is right to suggest that tax relief on private medical insurance be ruled out and that no move is made to switch to classic social insurance. This would be a disruptive change that international experience suggests is unlikely to yield significant benefits.”

However the report does make some worrying suggestions, including charges on patients to see GPs and to visit A&E. 

“We are completely opposed to the introduction of charges, which would cause people to worry about whether they can afford to look after their health.”

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