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Press Release

'Patient safety' is key as Unite lobby on 7 March focuses on Health Bill

30 January 2012

Health professionals, patient groups and the public are being urged on Wednesday, 7 March, to lobby their MPs, as the controversial pro-privatisation Health and Social Care Bill reaches a critical point in its parliamentary journey.

Unite, the largest union in the country with 100,000 members in the health service, is holding the lobby of MPs and peers in the Houses of Parliament on the afternoon of 7 March, with the message that the bill's proposals are 'untried and untested' and will have a negative impact on patients' welfare.

The lobby comes in the same week that the High Court will be hearing the Labour Party's case that the risk register – what the NHS 'reforms' will actually mean on the frontline in England – should be made public by Andrew Lansley.

Unite accused the Health Secretary of 'hiding' the risk register from public scrutiny because he fears that it will reveal how the bill's proposals will adversely affect patient care and is frightened of the public's reaction.

Unite General Secretary, Len McCluskey said: 'The coalition's bill will destroy the NHS. It will place it in the hands of business and put profit before patient care. Those who can pay will go to the top of the queue. The poor will get what is left. And at a time of severe austerity, it saddles the NHS with a reorganisation bill of £4 billion.'

Unite is working on 7 March with other partner groups as part of a broad coalition of professionals, the public and patients to bring home to MPs, peers and the wider public what the bill will mean in practical terms to the sick and those seeking medical care from the NHS.

Len McCluskey said: 'Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley is an isolated figure who has, uniquely, managed to unite the health professionals and experts in opposition to the demolition of the NHS in favour of private companies. The bill should be scrapped immediately.'

Len McCluskey said: 'Our NHS is our greatest national achievement. Only it ensures that access to health care is based on need, not wealth. It has cared for generations of working people, improving their health and their life chances. And it places fairness at the heart of our society. But this is all in desperate danger.'

The bill is currently making its way through the House of Lords, expected to return to the House of Commons during the Easter period for final consideration. That means in a matter of weeks this will be law.

The Unite Save Our NHS event will be followed by an Altogether for the NHS evening rally at Westminster Central Hall which holds more than 2,000 people.

For more information about the lobby and attending on the day, click on
www.unitetheunion.org/unite4ournhs



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