Unison: Devil is in the detail
Friday, 09 May 2008 12:15
Unison, the UK's largest public sector union, has welcomed the five pledges outlined in Lord Ara Darzi's interim report on NHS reform and promised to examine its findings in detail.
The health minister, who is reviewing the government's reform programme, says the plans will benefit patients; be clinically driven; locally-led; and involve patients and carers.
Unison head of health Karen Jennings said the recognition that reform should be driven by a need to improve standards and the way in which patients are treated is "a very welcome one".
But she added: "As always, the devil is in the detail and Unison will be looking carefully at these proposals and using the time left before the final report is
published to raise any concerns.
"Unison's fear is that, even with the five pledges, change will herald the increased use of private companies in the NHS.
"When the final report is published we want an NHS that is fit for the next ten years, not one that would be split by the private sector ethos of competition and profit."
