Commenting on the plans to dramatically reduce NHS
waiting lists, Unite, the UK's leading union, has called on
the government not to ignore the challenges facing NHS staff if
it wants it plans to succeed.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “After so many years
of neglect and the running down of our NHS it is important that
this government is now ready to invest. But ministers must be in
no doubt that any improvements will depend on tackling the
recruitment and retention crisis that is gripping the service,
driven by the years of real term pay cuts imposed on workers by
the previous government.
“NHS workers are on their knees struggling to cope with current
demands, which are at an all-time high. To simply expect the
existing staff to do even more is both unacceptable and
unachievable. The government's plans to cut waiting lists will
only be successful if it puts resolving the real issues faced by
NHS workers at the centre of its plans.”
The union also warned that the government must ensure that its
reforms are not allowed to become an opportunity for the private
sector to generate excessive profits from the taxpayer.
Sharon Graham added: “New investment will need to be carefully
monitored and spent wisely. All too often in the past we have
seen extra spending for new NHS initiatives disappear into the
pockets of the private sector without any real benefit to
patients.”
