Health workers' anger at NHS plans

Health campaigners accused ministers of opening the door to private firms such as Bupa or American giant United Healthcare to make "mega bucks" from the taxpayer and pledged to seek support from MPs and unions to fight the proposals.

Health minister Ben Bradshaw said bringing in private firms to run hospitals was one of a range of options aimed at improving performance and insisted no NHS assets or staff would be transferred to private companies. But leaders of doctors, nurses and other health workers hit out at the announcement and said they would build a campaign of opposition.

Dr Jonathan Fielden, chairman of the British Medical Association's (BMA) consultants committee, said: "The BMA would have grave concerns if the private sector took over the management of NHS Trusts. Such a move would effectively see parts of the NHS become privatised.

"There is an immense amount of talent within the NHS - in leadership and management - and this should be nurtured, grown and developed to ensure NHS Trusts do not find themselves in a position of failure in the first place.

"This talent would also be used when an NHS Trust was in difficulty to help them through their problems. There is no evidence that the private sector would do any better. They would just aim to make a profit rather than the driver being the high quality care our patients need."

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union which represents NHS staff and ambulance drivers, said the union "will resist this move with every sinew".

Mike Jackson, national officer of Unison, said: "We welcome the additional help being offered to failing hospitals who are suffering from complex long-term financial and systemic problems. However, it is unlikely that private sector managers would have the necessary experience of delivering acute and emergency services to bring long-term benefits."

Geoff Martin, head of campaigns at Health Emergency, predicted that the move would spark an "enormous row" in the Labour party, adding: "This could be the cause of another rebellion in Labour's ranks. Where is the evidence that the private sector has anything to offer the NHS, other than bleeding huge sums of money from the service and causing complete chaos. It means firms will be given the chance to make mega bucks from the taxpayer."

Mr Bradshaw said the Government would only turn to the private sector to tackle failing hospitals if managers could not be found from within the NHS. "In practice I think it will be the last resort," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.