UNITE: Is same Government that shunned 100 amendments to health bill really ready to listen?

UNITE: Is same Government that shunned 100 amendments to health bill really ready to listen?

UNITE: Is same Government that shunned 100 amendments to health bill really ready to listen?

In 14 days of Committee scrutiny of the health and social care bill, amounting to nearly 100 hours, the Conservative and LibDem ministers on the bill committee colluded to see off 100 amendments tabled to the legislation, health professionals say today (Wednesday, April 6).

Dozens of amendments were proposed on fundamental issues, ranging from greater public accountability to preventing the taxpayer subsidising private providers, to ensuring that care came before profits in the new health regulatory regime – yet every single amendment was rejected by the government.

Now, only days after working furiously to see off any change, except their own `tidying up’ amendments, to the controversial legislation the government is trying to convince alienated health professionals and a sceptical public that it is listening to their concerns.

The extent to which both parties of government were prepared to go to avoid amending the controversial legislation calls into question the Coalition’s sincerity as the prime minister and deputy prime minister embark on the first phase of their “listening exercise”, promising to engage with health professionals directly.

Rachael Maskell, Unite national officer representing health professionals ranging from mental health nurses to GPs, paramedics to pharmacists, said that no amount of government listening can disguise the reality, which is that the bill is bad news for the NHS:

“At every stage and on every day of the bill Committee, both parties of government were implored to not go ahead with this destructive bill. One hundred times they were asked to improve this bill and one hundred times they said no. Are they really going to hear and act, as well as listen, now?

“As health professionals, we need to see some sign that this government can be trusted with our health service. Our advice must matter more than the costly counsel of accountancy firms who know nothing of patients’ needs.

“And if the government after ‘listening’ ends up with GP commissioning and consortia that will work in a similar way as the PCTs they are about to scrap, will they apologise for wasting £3 billion of taxpayers’ money and for the chaos they are creating in the health service? How can that be in any way seen as competent?

“Quite simply, this bill cannot be saved. In the weeks to come, all sorts of fudges will be proposed, but if the government is truly listening it will understand that they only way forward is to ditch this bill and start again.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact Liane Groves in the Unite press office on 07793 661657.