Unions Move Against Crumbling Health Bill

A number of unions representing nurses and midwives have expressed their opposition to the Government's floundering Health Bill.

Both the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives joined previous protests by the biggest UK Doctor's union in opposing the Health and Social Care Bill that would lead to greater private sector involvement in the NHS.

In a statement on Tuesday, the RCN said serious concerns expressed by its members had not been addressed during any part of the Bill's process.

A spokesperson for the RCN said that although it had not previously opposed the bill "as a whole", it was now arguing that the proposals will not deliver on the principles originally set out, and that recent announcements, such as the rise in the cap on private patients being treated in NHS hospitals, make the bill in its entirety a serious threat to the NHS.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter said: "Opposing this bill is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have worked hard on behalf of all our members to influence the decisions that have been taken as the bill has gone through parliament. However, it is now clear that these ‘reforms’ are forging ahead on the ground without the concerns of nurses and other clinicians being heeded."

Meanwhile, the Royal College of Midwives is also calling for the NHS Health and Social Care Bill to be scrapped.

Commenting on the decision, Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “This bill is a massively expensive distraction from the challenges that the NHS faces in trying to improve healthcare at a time of severe spending restraint.

“The Royal College of Midwives supports many of the Government’s aspirations for the NHS, such as clinically-led commissioning, greater engagement of service users in their care and more integrated services, but the fact of the matter is that these can all be achieved without the need for this divisive and costly bill.

“Independent analysts have calculated that implementing the provisions in the bill will cost the NHS an extra £2 billion to £3 billion on top of the £20 billion in efficiency savings the NHS has to find in the next four years.

(DW)