The fight against NHS privatisation is stepping up – and winning

Thousands of NHS jobs are being outsourced to private 'arms-length' companies, but workers are fighting the plans.

Plans are afoot around the UK which would “open the door” to NHS privatisation – moving staff employed by the health service to new private ‘arms-length companies’ – but opposition is growing amongst staff.

NHS bosses’ plans to outsource non-clinical services in the NHS will lead to “a Pandora’s Box of dozens of Carillion-type meltdowns”, Unison warned this weekend as staff around the country took action against the plans.

In Huddersfield, staff are reportedly close to striking over hospital chiefs’ plans to outsource key hospital services to a private company.

The hospital bosses in West Yorkshire plan to move almost 400 cleaners, gardeners, porters and maintenance workers out of the NHS to a new private ‘arms-length’ company.

Although the NHS trust says the company will be a “wholly owned subsidiary”, Unison say it leaves the door open for a future sell-off and is in effect ”privatisation” and a “tax dodge”.

Unison said that 95% of its members at the hospital have backed going on strike to keep their contracts unchanged. Dan Wood, a Unison organiser, said:

“These are people who believe absolutely in the NHS, and have devoted their lives to working in service.

“They will not accept being transferred to a private company where their terms and conditions of employment – including their pensions – could be affected.

Meanwhile NHS staff in Gloucestershire were protesting this weekend over bosses’ plans to outsource 750 non-clinical roles to a new private company.

“Any privatisation of staff has a detrimental effect on the NHS. As budgets get squeezed and profit becomes a priority you get general cuts and a worse service” – one protester told a local paper.

And in Harrogate similar plans are afoot, with NHS bosses planning to outsource 350 jobs – whilst Unison members voted 97% against the proposals.

But the battle against NHS privatisation can and is being won: earlier this month a hospital in Bristol scrapped plans to set up an arms-length company for 850 roles, after staff opposed the plans.

8 Responses to “The fight against NHS privatisation is stepping up – and winning”

  1. Julie Thompson

    Good, we all have to join forces and save OUR NHS, striking is the only way to stop selfserving government. Thank you.

  2. Andy Fiore

    Good on the lot of you. I support you where I can but you are the front line that can make a difference.

  3. Dawn Hopkins

    The Naylor Report !

  4. Roy Jenkins

    update—– word Doc sent with email to Mr Hunt
    NO MEETING! With Tory Cllr Joe Cooney WHY?

    https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/
    Link to post 20.2.2018
    Personal post put on Facebook + Gmail as well
    On no responsibility,
    Being “taken by any Tory party member in our area of Lancashire (Pendle area) WHY?

    PART 1
    Well -well
    Voters remember in May L.C.E. which,
    Tory party flushing us all down the toilet again in Lancashire
    Are of Pendle (Colne area as well)
    Yet again, Tory Cllr Joe Cooney hiding away from me he emailed “me last minute to saying our promised meet was off at Colne Town hall set for Monday 19.22018–12.00am
    This was a very important “meeting about old people help needed when our G.P. surgery closes in” Colne Health centre on 28th Feb 2018 help with
    1 —On Travel concerns
    2 – On “where to go for out of hour help if G.P. needed as Nelson G.P. will not cover Colne as it is out of their catchment area for out of hour ill health.
    3–The possible selling off of our Colne Health centre plus
    Health services to a private firm to run everything in Colne area.

    PART 2
    The three things here are of concerns to us resident of Colne. However, Tory party member refuses to meet with “me this
    Includes Colne Tory Cllr Joe Cooney + Tory M.P. Andrew Stephenson,
    On this matter WHY!-WHY!
    Could it be after all it is Tory Govt plus all its members responsibility closing down our G.P. services in Colne to save cash,
    In addition, could be selling off our new N.H.S. building to a private firm to rake funding in for their party to benefits not us resident,
    In Colne area of Lancashire we just getting kicked out of our N.H.S. building
    “I hope voter remember in May what is truly going on in our area now under Tory rule they are trashing Colne then going to do a running after stripping us of all our assets,
    (Our Property land AND so on)
    We Colne resident own in the first place,
    Not any party in power or out of power a fact! Voters.

  5. Das

    We need our union’s now more than ever.
    The destruction of our NHS and state is nothing less than a con to bring in yet more foreign control while turning a blind eye to the export of the profits via the tax evasion industry.
    Will no one rid us of the wicked despicable Tory government?

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