Pressure mounts as health visitors voice their opposition to the
health bill
The 116-year-old Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’
Association (CPHVA) has become the latest professional organisation
to come out against the controversial and pro-privatisation Health
and Social Care Bill.
The CPHVA has joined the Royal College of Nursing, the British
Medical Association, the Royal College of Midwives and the royal
medical colleges, in opposing the bill which has reached a critical
point in its parliament journey.
The CPHVA believes that ‘reforms’ will be put the financiers
heading private healthcare companies in the driving seat; lead to
the fragmentation of services with reduced access for the most
vulnerable in society; and a much smaller workforce.
The CPHVA called for the bill to be withdrawn and that there is
a period of stabilisation. It is better to stop the bill for the
benefit of patients.
CPHVA chair, Alison Higley said today (Wednesday, 8 February):
‘As public health practitioners, providing frontline services for
families and children, and for the frail elderly, we are greatly
disturbed by the bill currently being pushed forward by this
government.’
‘Our members believe the ‘reforms’ will have far-reaching
negative outcomes for the most vulnerable in our society, and this
is the group we have devoted our working lives to
supporting.’
‘The radical changes and reduction to frontline providers are
already biting hard and preventing our members from doing the job
they came into their profession to provide.’
‘We have worked with GP’s closely for many years and they, too,
like us, do not believe that they have been listened to about their
legitimate concerns about the bill.’
‘One of the key concerns is that the government has
continually refused to make public its risk assessment on the
impact of the ‘reforms’, so health visitors can’t make professional
judgements about the future care for patients and clients, for
example, in relation to safeguarding issues.’
‘The ministerial rhetoric that staff and the public will
influence and chose what health provision will be provided is
a mirage that will never materialise, as the financiers will
hold the power as the government directs that vast savings are
made.’
‘We can already see the impact these savings are having as the
high-expertise and more expensive services get stripped out and
skill-mix is introduced to save money.’
‘As professionals, we have genuine concerns that the efforts put
into nurse education over the last decade will be in jeopardy by
these radical changes being forced upon organisations to meet the
requirements of the bill.’
‘There has been much negative press about nursing care in the
last year and we fear that this will only worsen with
the continued reduction in the numbers of highly skilled,
well-trained frontline nurses. This will result in less
well-trained, less skilled and unsupervised staff who are not
monitored or performance-managed.’
‘CPHVA’s membership is not in favour of this bill, as we
do not feel it will deliver the positive changes and
outcomes that the government believes it can. All we can see is the
fragmentation of services, reduced access for the most vulnerable
in society, and a reduced workforce.’
Ms Higley’s statement comes as the health visiting profession
celebrates its 150th anniversary. It was in 1862 that female
factory sanitary inspectors started work in Salford - it was from
those beginnings that the health visiting profession evolved. The
organisation that has become the CPHVA was founded in 1896.
-ends-
Note to news desk:
For further information, please contact, CPHVA communications
officer, Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
