UNISON has warned NHS commissioners that secrecy over health tendering in Staffordshire is against public interest and demands full disclosure of procurement plans.
The union has written to the four Clinical Commissioning Groups that have quietly embarked on the £1bn tender for health services in Staffordshire*.
The £1bn procurement process could lead to the privatisation of Staffordshire cancer and end of life care, affecting the lives of many thousands of patients and staff.
The strongly worded letter to the NHS Commissioners involved, Christina McAnea, UNISON head of health highlights a clear lack of openness and transparency and failure to engage with staff and UNISON, the UK’s biggest health trade union.
Christina McAnea, said:
“This is by far the biggest procurement process in the NHS and is a dangerous experiment. We are talking about £1bn of taxpayers’ money and contracts lasting ten years in vital cancer services and end of life care.
“Clinical Commissioning Groups are potentially handing over all decision-making on these crucial services to private companies. This is much bigger than just asking private companies to provide a service, this is asking them to design the whole system. With profit as the main driving force, how can it not lead to problems?
“Decisions about the future of these services are being taken behind closed doors. Patients, the public, and staff have a right to see all relevant documents about the business case and strategy behind the decision to outsource these services. They also need to be involved in shaping the future of these services, which we believe should be kept firmly within the NHS.”
UNISON has pledged to continue challenging the outsourcing plans, pointing to the recent successful public backed campaign at the George Eliot and Weston Hospitals.
Ends
NOTES TO EDITORS:
*The four Clinical Commissioning Groups involved are:
NHS Cannock Chase CCG
NHS Stoke on Trent CCG
NHS North Staffordshire CCG
NHS Stafford & Surrounds CCG
