HEALTH COMMITTEE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE REPORT - UNISON RESPONSE
HEALTH COMMITTEE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE REPORT - UNISON RESPONSE
UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union, today called on the Government to
“think again” about their spending plans, in the light of today’s
cross-party Health Select Committee report, warning that they will ‘test
services to the limit’.
The union is reiterating its warning that Government plans to significantly
cut budgets and push through reorganisations in both social care and the
NHS, pose a huge danger for services and the people who rely on them.
Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
“The report highlights serious issues about the ability of social care and
the NHS to deliver the unprecedented levels of efficiency savings demanded
by the government, without services being drastically hit.
“UNISON has long been warning the public not to be fooled; Tory promises to
protect the NHS are nothing but a mirage. For efficiency savings, read cuts.
And the damaging effect on services and patients is already visible. Across
the country, health trusts are cutting so-called non-essential operations,
shedding jobs, and closing wards and waiting lists are on the up. A recent
survey by UNISON revealed that 80% of staff are struggling with an increased
workload, and almost a third say patient care is suffering.
“The White Paper represents the biggest overhaul of the NHS in its history
and it will only pile more pressure onto already stretched staff and
services. The last thing that patients, staff and health trusts need now is
a chaotic reorganisation.
“This White Paper threatens to drag the NHS to the brink, and this report
backs up our key concerns, that these damaging plans have not been properly
thought through, or even properly costed.
The union is warning that there has been a complete lack of co-ordination in
the period since the White Paper was published, and the Government has not
communicated a clear narrative to support PCTs and other NHS organisations
in implementing the changes.
The Government has not yet provided even a broad estimate of the likely
costs of the reorganisation. The union is calling on the Government to
ensure that the next round of White Paper documents, presents a clear
assessment of the likely costs, both direct and indirect, and demonstrates
how they are to be accommodated into wider spending plans.
In social care the picture is similarly bleak. The report exposes the
Secretary of State’s claim that social care provision will not be affected
by spending cuts, as a lie. Evidence on the ground backs this up; councils
across the country are already shutting down very valuable social care
services like day centres, meals on wheels and charges for other services
such as home care are on the up.
Ends
Not a member?
If you're not a member of a union, join one now! Union members get a better deal at work all round. To find out more go to Join UNISON?