UNISON steps-up fight-back against cancer and end of life care privatisation

UNISON Assistant General Secretary, Karen Jennings, is today issuing a rallying cry to patients and the public in Staffordshire, urging them to join the fight-back against the privatisation of local cancer services and end of life care.
 
Speaking at a public meeting in Burton on Trent, Ms Jennings will warn of the dangers facing these crucial NHS services with a ten year deal on offer, worth £1.2bn of taxpayers’ money. Virgin, Care UK and Ramsay Health are all in the running for the contract.  It is by far the biggest single NHS privatisation attempted so far, covering the whole of Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.
 
Urging patients and thepublic to join the campaign to fight-back against the deal and put pressure on local MPs and councillors, Karen Jennings, an ex-nurse will say:
 
“This is beyond a dangerous experiment – it’s treacherous – a privatisation too far even for this Government.
 
“We are not talking about peripheral services.  The contract is for end of life care and the broad range of cancer services, including the treatment and care of children suffering from cancer.  All absolutely integral and core NHS work.  And none of the companies in the running have the experience of dealing with this breadth of services.
 
“Clinical Commissioning Groups are potentially handing over all decision-making on these crucial services to private companies. This is much bigger than just asking private companies to provide a service, this is asking them to design the whole system. With profit as themain driving force, how can it not lead to problems?
 
“Experience has shown that when the profit motive is introduced into care, it affects the level and the quality of service, and staff numbers are cut.”
 
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