TUC accuses the Government over NHS


Unions have accused the Government of trying to push through a raft of unwanted changes to the National Health Service.

Delegates at next week's TUC conference in Brighton are expected to approve a series of rallies and protests across the country over Government reforms designed to increase private-sector delivery of NHS services.

The general secretary of the largest public sector union, Unison, warned that the changes would prove bad value for money and harm services.

Dave Prentis told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This has not been thought through.

"There has been no discussion and no analysis and now we are faced with waves and waves of initiatives that are ill thought-out, handing over our health services to private companies.

"We believe it is going to cost the taxpayer money and it will lead to a worse service for our communities."

UNIONS LOOK FOR SECURITY OF BEDS

14 September 2006
Staff at an East Riding hospital threatened with service cuts are calling for assurances over their jobs.

A letter of grievance has been sent to the Yorkshire and Wolds Primary Care Trust (PCT) after it announced plans to temporarily close Hornsea Cottage Hospital's inpatient ward.

The 12 beds remaining on the ward would close on Sunday, October 1, following the closure of 10 beds earlier this year.

Now unions Amicus, Unison and the Royal College of Nursing have sent the letter to the trust asking for the ward to be kept open until negotiations have taken place.

The letter said staff will not take part in any talks over their jobs moving until they have been told beds will reopen and have been reassured over their future.

John Fleming, regional officer for Unison, said: "We are supposed to be working in partnership, but we were never told about this. There has been no consultation whatsoever.

"We had a successful meeting on Monday night and we have agreed a way forward. The move also has an effect on the administration and clerical staff, who are Unison members."

Patients from the hospital are also calling for it to be kept open.

Frances Oldroyd, 66, of Ebor Avenue, Hornsea, recently spent time in Hornsea Cottage Hospital after a four-week stay in Hull Royal Infirmary.

She said: "The nursing staff couldn't do enough for the patients and they treated me like a human being, not a number. They always made sure they had time to help me.

"Hornsea Cottage Hospital is part of the community and it should never be closed."

Meanwhile, London-based law firm Leigh Day and Co is preparing to take the PCT to the High Court. It will launch a bid for a judicial review on Friday, on behalf of two Hornsea patients, if the PCT does not reverse its plans.

No one at the PCT was available for comment. Mick Pilling write: This is not unusual for PCT's & Trust's not to reply or comment, they are unaccountable, they move the goal-post to suit themselves, they all read from the same manual! It's high time that all PCT's & Trust's were made to toe the line and be fair with the public, honesty is the best policy so why don't they take a leaf from our book. The PCT's & Hospital Trust's have over the years infuriated MP's; Councillors; Towns, Patients & the general public with there sly ways of working, under-handed decisions made behind closed doors, cuts made by stealth and back-doors. When asked for comments; the usual reply is, sorry no one is available, a statement will be given later.

 

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