NHS union ‘to turn up heat on government ministers’

Unison, the country’s largest trade union, has said it is aiming to “turn up the heat” on MPs during their summer break.

It is producing a series of “briefings” to inform MPs of the damage it says the government’s reforms are causing, covering areas such as private sector treatment centres, payment by results and private finance initiatives.

Unison said it hoped that MPs would then be able to challenge the government over the reforms, which includes things like DHL being drafted into take over work currently done by NHS Logistics.

A statement from the briefings read: “[Much of the revision] is being implemented without being tested or evaluated to assess its effectiveness or otherwise.”

“In addition, NHS staff, on whom health services depend, are currently finding it impossible to keep track, let alone contribute to policy initiatives. As a consequence, service delivery is being affected adversely,” the statement added.

Last week, Patirica Hewitt, the health secretary, dismissed fears regarding the contracting of private companies to develop NHS Logistics, saying there would be strict penalties for companies not complying with logistics contracts.

Paul Harper, Unison branch secretary at NHS Logistics’ depot in Maidstone, remarked: “Strike action is a last resort but we have no choice.

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