Liberal Democrats set to ditch local hospitals to placate Tory-led
NHS demolition
31 January 2011
The Liberal Democrats were accused of hypocrisy over health
service reform by Unite, the largest union in the country, today
(Monday 31 January), as MPs debated the Health and Social Care
bill.
Unite said that more than a third of Liberal Democratic
ministers elected last May after campaigning to keep their local
hospitals open, were today – just nine months later – supporting
legislation designed to prevent MPs from having ‘a say’ on hospital
closures, which will now be left to the whim of market forces.
The Health and Social Care bill, which has its second reading in
the Commons today, is set to impose the private sector on the NHS
with existing hospitals allowed to "fail" in order that private
providers can flourish, while at the same time bulldozing away any
local objections to hospital closures. This is set out in the
combined impact assessments.
This is in direct contrast to the coalition agreement's pledge
that it would stop ‘centrally dictated’ closures of services such
as A&E and maternity - and is in shocking contrast to the
platforms adopted by dozens of MPs during the last election.
Unite warned that constituents will pay the price for the
shocking hypocrisy but that Lib Dems in particular - who stood on a
‘save their hospitals’ tickets - would not be forgiven for their
part in demolishing a much-loved and much-improved NHS.
Unite said that:
- Over a third of Lib Dem ministers campaigned on the basis of
keeping local hospitals open
- Nick Clegg (Sheffield Hallam), his deputy Simon Hughes
(Bermondsey and Old Southwark), and his predecessor Charles Kennedy
(Ross, Skye, and Lochaber), all toured the country supporting local
Liberal Democrat’s hospital campaigns
- Lib Dem cabinet ministers Chris Huhne (Eastleigh) and Vince
Cable (Twickenham) campaigned against hospital closures in their
own areas
- Lib Dem party president, Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale),
campaigned on keeping the hospital in his constituency
open
- High profile Tory ministers, including Jeremy Hunt (South West
Surrey) and Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell) did the
same
- Tory policy ‘czar’ Oliver Letwin (West Dorset) was lobbying his
own primary care trust in January, even as he was being called by
the prime minister to review and strengthen the Health and Social
Care bill.
Unite’s assistant general secretary for public services, Gail
Cartmail, said: ”The government makes it clear that this
legislation is expressly designed to prevent MPs from having any
say on service closures, which will now be left for the market to
decide. How can any MP sign up to something that deliberately stops
them from campaigning on behalf of their constituents?
”Tory and Liberal Democrat ministers alike are guilty of hypocrisy
– campaigning to save hospitals in their constituencies,
which they are now prepared to allow to be taken over by private
healthcare companies, all in the name of political
expediency.
”But each and every one of these MPs will be held guilty for
ruining the NHS. David Cameron is right - this is not
revolution. It isn't, though, as he claims, evolution. It is
plainly and simply a demolition.”
Unite is holding a media briefing for journalists on the Health and
Social Care bill today (Monday, 31 January 2011) at 1.00pm in the
Grimond Room, Portcullis House, House of Commons to highlight the
small print that is paving the way for private healthcare companies
to take-over the NHS.
ENDS
Note to news editors:
For further information, please contact Unite’s communications
officer, Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
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