The NHS faces a "lethal cocktail" of increased waiting times, budget cuts and uncertainty ahead of the Health and Social Care Bill going back to the House of Commons, Britain’s largest union has warned.
Unison said on Wednesday that the outlook for the health service looks “bleak”, alleging that Andrew Lansley’s reorganisation of the health service will allow private patients to 'leapfrog' to the front of the queue to be treated by NHS hospitals.
Health is likely to dominate parliament in its first week back from recess when as the Bill comes back before the whole House for report stage and third reading.
Speaking to the Huffington Post UK, the union’s head of health, Christina McAnea, said despite the government’s listening exercise, the changes to the Bill were immaterial.
McAnea said measures in the Bill, such as lifting the cap on hospitals treating private patients would mean those Trusts under financial pressure would end up treating fewer NHS patients.
“They haven’t removed the cap yet, but we think it’s will hurt NHS patients. Why have a cap if it’s not important?”
She warned “it’s very dangerous”. The union have also claim that the Bill continues to encourage competition within the NHS, saying that the new regulator, Monitor, will now “prevent anti-competitive behaviour” instead of promoting competition – which they claim is merely semantics.
The health bill will report to the house on 6 September. The union are planning to stage a candlelight vigil in front of parliament to protest the bill and lobby MPs to stop the plans becoming law.
Their warning comes as GP magazine Pulse reported primary care trusts were demanding GP practices return overpayments from as long as seven years ago.
But despite the controversy, health minister Simon Burns said the union were "scaremongering".
"The NHS will always be available to all, free at the point of use and based on need and not the ability to pay. Nothing in our proposals will enable private patients to "leapfrog" to the front of NHS waiting lists. To suggest otherwise is scaremongering from Unison.
"Modernising the NHS will both safeguard the future of our health service, and will deliver a world class health service that puts patients at the heart of everything it does. The independent NHS Future Forum confirmed there is widespread support for the principles of our plans.
"Average waiting times are low and remain stable - the vast majority of patients still receive treatment within 18 weeks - and we are committed to keeping them low."