Responding to the announcement that the president of Global Health and group executive vice-president at UnitedHealth, Simon Stevens, will take on the role of chief executive of NHS England in April next year, UNISON Head of Health Christina McAnea said:
“The NHS is facing its first serious crisis for the best part of the decade, and it is critical that Simon Stevens respects and shares the values of our NHS – universal healthcare that is free at the point of need.
“It is surprising that no one within the NHS has been found to take on this position. We sincerely hope this is not a sign that the government wants to import America-type values into the NHS and look at ways of developing healthcare through an insurance model. If this is the intention there will be massive opposition.
“Mr Stevens will have his work cut out for him right from the start. Far from being protected from government cuts, the NHS is being starved of the funds it needs. Thousands of jobs are under threat and accident and emergency departments are creaking under the pressure of cuts, privatisation and upheaval.”