Unite: Cameron not trusted on NHS, new poll reveals
Monday, 5 September 2011 9:50 AM
On the eve of the second reading of the much maligned Health and Social Care Bill a new poll by Unite the union has shown that over 90 per cent of people do not trust David Cameron on the NHS.
The poll of Unite members from across the UK also reveals that 70 per cent of respondents believe that government reforms will lead to privatisation.
Rachael Maskell, Unite national officer, said: “David Cameron has tried to re-invent the Tory party as a caring, pro-NHS party. This poll proves that people have not been fooled by David Cameron’s PR blitz on his NHS reforms.
“David Cameron promised no privatisation, yet through subjecting the NHS to European competition law, powerful private health care companies will have the resources to run legal rings around these new smaller commissioning bodies.”
Unite which represents 100,000 health care professionals is calling on MPs to vote against the Health and Social Care Bill when it goes through its second reading on 6th and 7th September.
With the huge cuts to NHS funding, Unite wants already limited money to be spent on patient care and not diverted into the increased bureaucracy when under the new bill, the amount of NHS bodies jumps from 162 to over 500.
“David Cameron promised he would eliminate excessive bureaucracy, yet he is replacing 162 NHS organisations with over 500 new commissioning bodies, each with their own accounting, HR and contracting functions. Bureaucracy will mushroom and money that should be spent on patient care will be spent on this new army of bureaucrats,” said Maskell.
“The Government’s health bill will also remove the private patient cap on in trusts which will allow wealthy patients to be treated before everybody else.
“If the Health and Social Care Bill goes through, it will be a disaster for patients. It does nothing to address the big issues we are facing in health. It is just a massive untested re-organisation. It’s as clear to the public, as it is to health professionals, that David Cameron cannot be trusted with the NHS,” added Rachael Maskell.
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For more information contact: Liane Groves 07793 661657
Notes to editors:
Unite is holding a photo opportunity on Monday 5th September at 12.45 on Westminster Bridge. A group of Unite health members dressed in scrubs and with David Cameron masks will hold an estate agent board with 'NHS for Sale' to signify the privatisation of the NHS.
2,000 Unite members polled on Wednesday 31 August. There were 985 individual responses - a 49.25 per cent response rate.
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