Cervical screening return to NHS is welcome, says UNISON

Smooth handover now needed and assurances about jobs after privatisation failure

Reacting to the announcement at today’s Public Accounts Committee hearing that the NHS is bringing the cervical screening service back in-house, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“We’re pleased to see the service returning to the NHS, but it should not have been privatised in the first place.

“It can be difficult enough to encourage young women to be tested and that becomes even harder when they have no confidence in the results due to this appalling failure.

“This was about saving money, yet extra cash had to be found to clear up the mistakes.

“Screening services are already under considerable pressure. Although good sense has prevailed, there must be a smooth handover process and staff need reassurance about their future.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in both the public and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes T: 0207 121 5255 M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk