Nurses come out against Health Bill
pharmafile | January 19, 2012 | News story | Sales and Marketing | NHS, RCN, health bill, reforms
The union representing nurses and midwives in the UK has formally come out against the government’s health reform Bill.
The Royal College of Nurses say that the serious concerns expressed by members have not been addressed, even though the government has been under pressure to make changes to its reform agenda.
The RCN has not previously opposed the Bill as a whole, but is now arguing that the government’s proposals will not deliver on its original principles of helping patients.
It joins the Royal College of GPs, the British Medical Association and many Labour ministers in opposing the Health and Social Care Bill.
The reforms aim to restructure the NHS by removing its current managers and replacing them with family doctors.
The Bill also encourages competition for services in the NHS, which many unions warn will open the floodgates for privatisation in the health service.
It is currently in the House of Lords, and is expected to become law this year.
The RCN said that recent announcements from the government – notably the rise in the cap on private patients being treated in NHS hospital – make the Bill a ‘serious threat to the NHS’.
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the RCN, which represents 410,000 nurses, midwives, support workers and students, said: “Opposing this bill is not a decision we have taken lightly.
“However, it is now clear that these ‘reforms’ are forging ahead on the ground without the concerns of nurses and other clinicians being heeded.”
He added: “The RCN has been on record as saying that withdrawing the Bill would create confusion and turmoil.
“However, on the ground, we believe that the turmoil of proceeding with these reforms is now greater than the turmoil of stopping them.”
Ben Adams
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