Health B4 Profit Campaign
Unite deplores the increasing privatisation and marketisation in
the NHS which we believe is an inefficient use of resources,
detrimental to patient and client care, and leads to a diminution
of pay and employment conditions, for dedicated and hard-working
NHS staff.
The marketisation agenda has developed into many forms – Social
Enterprises Foundation Hospitals, Independent Treatment Centres,
the commissioning/provider ‘split’ of Community Services, Private
Finance Initiatives.
Unite believes that the NHS should be a universal provision,
publically funded and managed as a public service for the benefit
of all. This world class organisation should not be carved up for
the benefit of private profit and this must be the time for us to
fight for our Health Service and ensure that people come before
profit. We want NHS staff, service users and the wider community to
work together to challenge the policies that will lead to large
amounts of public money being siphoned off into private company
profits, rather than on delivering health care.
Our campaign will educate and empower our local Unite Health
Sector Activists to challenge the fragmentation and privatisation
of the NHS in their areas.
Unite members show their support for the Health
Before Profit campaign at November's CPHVA
conference
In August, Unite members delivered a co-signed letter to Health
Secretary, Andy Burham asking the government to protect the heart
and soul of the NHS in England and roll back these costly and
dangerous plans.
Unite members deliver letter to Health Secretary,
Andy Burnham co-signed by over 3,000
Unite members demonstrate
against being transferred out of the NHS
Your comments on the campaign so far
Sarah - I am worried about the governents plans
for our health service. It should be a service we are proud of,
however with the commissioner/provider model, services are been
watered down to provide a cheaper alternative rather than quality
of care. In the long run surely this must cost more. The risk of
privatisation will destroy the NHS and only serve to offer a
fragmented delivery of service.look what's happened to the postal
service and the trains. Please stop before its too late!
Rhona - I believe that the NHS should not be
taken apart by privatising certain parts of the service. It will
lead to greater inequality in health care and provision.
Paul - I firmly believe in the NHS as a certain
Mr. Bevan envisaged it, and not the red tape multi layered
management driven, tick box orientated, faceless monster it has
become.
Nicolas - The NHS should be a service funded by
and provided for the tax payer, it falls upon government and the
taxpayer to ensure the NHS has adequate resources to provide the
necessary levels of care. The NHS is not built to run as a
commercial enterprise nor should it be, the inclusion of
privatisation in parts is wrong in principle, it is the NHS that
frequently deals with problems created by private healthcare
providers - having to do so at an increased cost to the NHS and
ultimately patients is ludicrous.
Berni - I worked in the nhs for 30 years as a
hospital nurse and midwife and in the community as a health
visitor. Also as a user of the service as i have a have a disabled
child with a chronic illness. I believe in the principles of a
national health service and that we should make every effort to
work towards a more efficient service and not weaken it further by
handing over millions of pounds of public money to private
organisations who will not deliver the service.
Nicola - I am very alarmed at the creeping
privitisation of the NHS. I do not understand how putting profit
before providing quality services for our patients can be the right
way forward.
Barbara - I do not want the NHS to be split
into competing businesses. I want the best care for people and want
it to be about helping people, not about how much money can be
made. After all, when the NHS started, it was for the good of the
people and not to line Ministers' purses and wallets!
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